


eyes so blue, i drown

by galadhrim



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: 1920s, Angst, Asshole Tommy Shelby, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Guilt, Mutual Pining, Pining, Post-Season/Series 04, Romance, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Smut, Tommy Shelby Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:15:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 97,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28780365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galadhrim/pseuds/galadhrim
Summary: ❝ No matter how warm the summer days, winter is never far behind. ❞When a young woman feels stuck, she tries to find some mental clarity by visiting her brother who is managing their family’s international affairs in a crowded city across the ocean.The story of one of the many women who Thomas Shelby loved, and lost.Set after Season 4/before Season 5.
Relationships: Tommy Shelby/Original Character(s), Tommy Shelby/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 135
Kudos: 135





	1. A Castle

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!! Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of my very self-indulgent Tommy fic :,) This chapter feels really long, but it’s mostly because it’s super dialogue-heavy. I’m not sure how much I like it-- I was really trying to set the scene for some of my original characters and flesh them out a bit before diving into the story! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think :) 
> 
> (I also want to note that some stuff may not be super historically accurate and for that, I am so sorry! I am trying my best to be as accurate as possible, but at the end of the day this is all for good fun hehe)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place a little while after Season 4. For all intents and purposes, Tommy and Lizzie did not get married and are not living together, while Ruby is still a baby. 
> 
> Big time emphasis on Asshole Tommy Shelby™️ here!! Each chapter alternates between Auddie (OC) and Tommy's perspectives.

_**SOMEWHERE IN EARLY JUNE, 1927** _

* * *

**THE** squeal of the tires skidding to a stop was almost deafening. Rain splattered against the windshield with a renewed vigor once the wipers turned off with a click.

“Welcome home, Auddie.”

Auddie stared at the building that loomed above her and spanned almost as far as the street itself. Each complex was large, as large as a house rather than a regular, tiny hole-in-the-wall apartment. Gripping the leather bag on her lap, she elbowed the door open and tugged the brim of her hat lower on her head in a feeble attempt to save her hair from the rain. She could feel the suffocating humidity force strands of her hair to spring from the bun that sat low under her cap and tickle the nape of her neck.

“When you said your apartment was a castle,” She called from across the car as she made her way toward the trunk, eyes never leaving the building, “I thought you were exaggerating.”

The man across the car grinned, slamming his door shut, following her to the back of the car. “I can hardly afford to think small in business, and I thought I should own a home that matches it. _Château de Malcolm_ , if you will.”

Auddie scoffed and rolled her eyes, a tiny grin pricking at the corners of her lips. She popped the back door and reached out for the handle of one of her suitcases before he quickly swatted her hand away.

“No, no, don’t carry your bags in. I have people for that now.”

Blinking, Auddie stared at him. “You have people for that now, Christ Malcolm, when did you become a king?”

“What can I say, a lot has happened since I left Boston.”

*******

Half-open suitcases with clothes spilling out were strewn across the bedroom. A tiny fire crackled to life under the mantle, illuminating the various trinkets that cluttered tabletops and bureaus. The room was large, ornate, regal. Auddie could hardly believe she was in an apartment of all places.

She stared at her reflection in the vanity, hair damp, and eyes tired. It had been a long journey, a rigorous one, and she was finally at her destination, her brother’s new home in London. A new home that was an ocean apart from their real one, and so incredibly different.

After lugging in all of her belongings from the car, with the help of her brother and his tuxedo army, of course, she was settled into a warm bath by the meticulous hands of what seemed to be a small battalion of maids. 

The warm water eased the ache from her bones, the tension in her muscles, the throbbing in her temples. Although temporary, it was bliss. Drops of rose oil clung to the surface and filled the room with a pleasant aroma. 

She mindlessly began combing through her hair, the red locks catching like fire in the light. Her gaze lazily drifted across the room, staring at the paintings on the wall, perfectly vased flowers on the table next to her bed, and a once freshly laundered carpet that was now littered with shoes and stockings. She was trying to make the room feel like a home. Coincidentally, that involved making the room a mess.

This was home, for now— or at least for the next few months, she thought to herself with a grimace as she tugged on a particularly tight knot in her hair. 

*******

A few hours later the rainstorm that once battered against the window panes had subsided, and in its wake left a cloud of fog that clung low to the ground. Behind the curtain of gray in the sky was a tiny bulb of a setting sun, barely visible as it made its descent into the evening. Auddie stood in the parlor by a large bay window that overlooked the city below, the gravelly streets speckled with muddy puddles and tire tracks.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” 

Auddie glanced over her shoulder at Malcolm who approached with a smirk, a piping hot cup of tea in one hand, and a glass of whiskey in another. With a smile, she took it from him, and eagerly warmed her palms in between the eggshell-colored ceramic.

“Yes, it’s very nice.” She replied, taking a sip of her drink. “Maybe too nice for someone like you.”

He grinned, raising his drink to her before taking a swig. “Cheers to that.”

They stood in silence for a bit, watching the remaining raindrops race down the glass.

“But in all seriousness,” Auddie began, glancing at her brother out of the corner of her eye, “Thank you for letting me stay with you. Your home is very lovely.”

Malcolm smiled, placing his glass on the windowsill and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, bringing her into a side hug. “There’s no need to thank me, I am so happy you’re here.”

She leaned into his hug and tapped her fingertips along the teacup. He stepped away to pick up his drink again and lean against the wall. 

“What does Douglas think of you coming to stay here indefinitely?” 

Auddie sighed, this time taking a seat on the wide ledge of the windowsill. “He thinks it’s a good opportunity for me. A change of scenery.”

Thoughts of her oldest brother filled her head. All dark hair, dark eyes, freshly pressed suits, and no-nonsense. 

Malcolm nodded his head, “I agree. You’ve been cooped up back home for too long.”

She didn’t have much to say to that, there was no need to unlock Pandora's box that was tucked away in the farthest corner of her mind.

“I think it is also important to mention that I am the better brother. Much more fun, I can show you a better time.”

Auddie blew air out of her nose and shook her head. “I’ll be sure to take notes and tell him that.”

He wagged a finger at her, “I’ll hold you to it.” 

With a sigh she rested her head on her hand, tearing her gaze away from the window to her brother. He looked older, she thought, even his… aura felt older than the last time she saw him, two years ago, when he left for London. He was only four years her senior, but the boyish angles of his face seemed to have hardened, his eyes looked more tired, weary. The auburn hair atop his head that matched her own was slicked back and cropped perfectly, with the suit he wore equally as crisp to match.

His eyes met hers and a smirk pricked at his lips. “Noticing how handsome your brother is, eh? I’d like to think there’s something in the water here, but no, I have always been this good looking. Perhaps London just fits me more, lets my true beauty shine.”

She scoffed, “You are insufferable. I was just thinking about how _old_ you look.”

“27 is hardly old, but I wouldn’t be opposed to becoming a silver fox early.” He rubbed his stubbled chin and stood closer to the windowpane, admiring himself in the faint reflection it provided. “I always preferred being ruggedly handsome.”

“I’m going to be sick.” She groaned as he winked back.

“What about you, eh? You’ve let your hair grow out since the last time I saw you.” He motioned to her with his chin. She quickly tucked a few rogue strands of auburn red waves behind her ear.

“I think it suits me more than when it’s short.” She shrugged, “I like braiding it anyway.”

A soft smile appeared on his lips. “I think it suits you very well.”

She hummed in thanks, mindlessly running her fingers through her hair now, and turned back to the city view below.

He cleared his throat and gestured to the uneven tower of books on the table beside the sofa. “I see you’ve made yourself at home.” He crossed the room and began thumbing through the pages of the first book on the pile.

“Well if I’m going to be here for a while,” She glanced out the window briefly before turning back to her brother, “I needed something to keep myself entertained while you’re off playing business.”

Malcolm snapped the book shut in one swift motion and placed it gently back on the pile. “We’ll be playing business together. I thought I’d help you find some work, when you felt like it, of course.”

She tilted her head to the side, placing her cup on the windowsill and drawing her knees up to her chest. “I wasn’t aware you were acquainted with many nurses?”

“I have connections with everybody.”

“In London for a little over two years and you’re already the big man in town.” She grinned, “Color me impressed.”

He extended his arms wide in a mock bow. “What can I say? I’m the best.”

“I’ll think about it. I’m not sure how well my resume will translate from the US to the UK.”

“Oh I’m sure it’s fine,” He waved her off. “We’re all flesh and bone. Just say the word and I can pose some inquiries for you.”

“Thank you.”

The only sound in the room was the ice clinking against the rim of his cup and the occasional car that slowly motored by. 

“Are you tired? Hungry? I can have dinner fixed for us soon if you’d like.” 

“What a conscientious host you are.” Auddie raised a brow at her brother, smirking behind her teacup. 

“Well, you are my favorite sister after all.” Malcolm quipped back. “I can only offer the best.”

“Oh please,” She rolled her eyes, “I’m your only sister.”

“Exactly, and that’s why you’re my favorite.”

“Dinner sounds lovely.” Auddie yawned, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. “But I think I’ll nap first. A two-week boat ride across the ocean isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Excellent!” Malcolm clapped his hands together, “I’ll tell the staff to get started. The sooner we eat, the sooner we sleep. I have a jam-packed itinerary for you tomorrow.”

She pushed herself up from the ledge of the window.

“Could you elaborate on ‘jam-packed’ for me?”

He placed a finger to his pursed lips, his ginger hair and angled features making him look more like a fox than a man. “We’ll discuss it over dinner.”

“Very mysterious.” Auddie grinned into her tea once more, taking the final sip. “And ominous, coming from you.” 

He held his hand out to take her empty cup, and with his empty glass in hand, he began backing out of the room. He motioned to a folded quilt that rested on the back of the sofa. 

“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll come wake you once dinner is ready.”

*******

The bellowing chimes of the eighth hour echoed throughout the room. Rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand, she pushed herself up to her elbows and squinted at the face of the grandfather clock that was nestled in the corner of the room. Street lights illuminated the harsh corners of the room that contrasted against the menacing shadows the ornate paintings provided. 

With a yawn she stretched her arms high above her head, causing the blanket that was wrapped around her to cascade onto the floor beneath her feet. The house was silent, save for the staff scurrying back and forth from what she could only assume was the dining room and kitchen. The sounds of feet shuffling and hushed whispers blended together.

She sat with her hands folded in front of her for a bit, staring out the bay window. The rain had kicked up again while she slept, and this time it carried distant rumbles of a brewing thunderstorm with it.

Eventually, she turned to her stack of books. She insisted on filling an entire suitcase, or two, of close to half of her library from home. She traced her fingertips down the spines of the books, some worn with time, others crisp and new with golden text. 

The squeaking of a doorknob turning caught her attention, and she glanced over her shoulder at the doorway. Malcolm appeared, a smile on his face.

“Good morning- er, evening?” He stepped into the room, his perfectly tailored suit from earlier gone now, and instead wore an unbuttoned white shirt and pants. “Perfect timing, dinner is just about ready. Can I get you a drink?”

Auddie stood from the sofa and picked up the quilt from the ground, wrapping it around her body. “Yes, please.”

He hummed in response and approached the drink cabinet on the opposite side of the room. “You still drinking gin?”

She nodded.

“Just as I thought.”

He drummed his fingers against the hardwood as he searched the various decanters he had set aside on a silver platter. He set aside two glasses and began pouring gin for her and whiskey for him. 

“How is Douglas, by the way? He never writes to me as often as I write to him.” He corked the decanters and placed them back on the platter. “Hell, I have a telephone now and he barely answers my calls. We’re supposed to be working to support this business together.”

Auddie made her way across the room and stood beside him, clutching the quilt with one hand and taking the drink with the other. “He’s very busy, Mal. When he’s not working, he’s working. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him sleep since he inherited the company.”

“I’d imagine he sits upright at his desk at night, speaking in tongues and muttering numbers over and over again.” He scoffed, taking a swig of his drink. “He is the oldest, grumpiest, and boring 34-year old I’ve ever known. I think he would drop dead immediately if he didn’t work.”

“And you’re the most immature and dramatic 27-year old I’ve ever known. He’s trying his best for the business.” Auddie countered, adjusting her blanket.

“I’m trying too! I’m managing all of the factories on this side of the ocean for, and trying to figure out new ways to make money quick,” He tucked away a rogue curl that tickled his forehead. “And you don’t see me being a stick in the mud.” He jerked a thumb at his chest for emphasis.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not all about the money, you know.”

“But it is all about the money. I want this business to be successful, I want this family to be successful. Douglas is stuck in the old ways of doing things. He’s just trying to be a clone of dad.”

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.”

Malcolm shook his head. “Not exactly, no. But times are changing. The old ways of making money aren’t as lucrative as before.”

Auddie narrowed her gray eyes over the rim of her glass and took a small sip of her drink, “That sounds cryptic.”

Before he could quip back, there was a tiny knock at the door, and an older maid stepped into the entryway.

“Excuse me, Mr. Fraser, dinner is ready.”

He nodded his head at her and smiled, “Thank you.” He turned to Auddie, “We’ll talk about this more after dinner.” He dipped his head and motioned to the door, “After you.”

*******

A few maids and butlers were shuffling in between the kitchen and the dining room, adding final touches to the placement of dishes, silverware, drinks. Auddie’s jaw dropped, she had never seen such a grand table set up for just… two people. 

“Are you sure you’re not having more guests over?” 

He patted her on the shoulder and guided her to a seat at the head of the table. He pulled the chair out for her, “Conscientious host, remember? I’m pulling out all of the stops.”

He rounded the table, drink in hand, for the chair at the opposite end.

Auddie frowned. “You’re sitting over there? This feels a little silly for the two of us.”

He wagged a finger, sipping his drink. “Not silly at all, consider it, high class.”

Soon enough, the lids were removed from the silver platters and the staff exited the room.

The table was covered with roast chicken, loaves of bread, green vegetables, and cheese. Two bottles of red wine were placed at each end of the table, one beside Malcolm, and another beside Auddie. She blinked, dumbfounded, as he began fixing his plate.

“Well, bon appetit.” 

“What is with you and all of the casual French you keep tossing into the conversation?” Auddie quipped as she started filling her plate.

Malcolm grinned as he folded a napkin on his lap. “It makes me sound elegant, doesn’t it?”

“It makes you sound like an asshole, that’s for sure.” Auddie spread a helping of butter on a particularly fluffy slice of bread.

“A fancy asshole?”

She shook her head, eyes never leaving her bread.

The rain started pouring harder down onto the windows, and the distant rumbles from earlier grew louder with each passing moment. Auddie and Malcolm made small conversation as silverware clinked against plates, lips stained red with each sip of wine and cheeks to match.

“I promised Douglas I’d give him a call tomorrow afternoon, I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you.”

“He’ll schedule to call you but not me? Bastard.” Malcolm shook his head as he dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

“I’m the perfect little sister. He’ll always make time for me.” Auddie smirked, sipping her drink.

“Bullshit. You’re 23 now, you’re not little anymore. In fact, you’re a hag.” He tapped his knife against the plate, “Make sure to schedule a phone call with him after I show you all of the factories and warehouses. And tell him how nice my apartment is. Oh and car. My car is really nice, it’s a Bentley. Expensive as hell, I got it because one of my associates has one. I work with people who casually drive Bentleys. You know, scratch that, I’ll be in the room tomorrow with a script prepared for you. I have several typewriters now.”

“Anything else?” Auddie nodded her head, setting down her silverware and resting her chin on her hands.

“Oh, yeah, yeah I’ll wanna tell him that I have horses now. Big stable too. Lots of grass.”

“Emphasis on the grass, it’s super green, got it.”

He pointed his fork at her, “I mean it.”

She pretended to jot all of this down on her napkin, pausing in between each word and dragging the syllables out. “He… means... it.”

The two began laughing until their bellies ached, and their cheeks were sore. By the time each of their respective wine bottles were empty, dinner was wrapping up. Malcolm leaned back in his chair and rested his hands behind his head.

“So, for tomorrow,” he yawned, “I planned for us to visit a few warehouses and factories that I’ve been managing.”

“Already putting me to work?”

“No, no, no work. Not yet.” He shook his head, “think of it as… a grand tour. The VIP experience.”

“Boy am I lucky.” Auddie rolled her eyes, folding up her napkin and placing it on top of her empty plate.

“You certainly are. We could get brunch in the morning, get drinks, get a little buzz going on, eh?” He waggled his eyebrows, “Then start the tour of the company’s _piece de resistance_. The factories, warehouses.”

“You’re ridiculous. I’m in.”

“See, now this is why you’re my favorite sister.”

“Only sister.” She pointed a finger at him.

“Shh, it doesn’t matter.” He whispered as he leaned forward, eyes shut for emphasis. 

In between their bickering the table had been swiftly cleared around them, and what was once dinner was replaced by trays of tea, coffee and desserts.

“What did you think of dinner?”

“It was amazing,” Auddie replied, reaching for the teapot. “Thank you, to you and your staff.”

He waved her off, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Coffee? This late?”

Malcolm winked at her and took a sip. “No rest for the wicked.”

She rolled her eyes, “You’re a clown.”

“Maybe so,” he placed his mug down, “But I’m a handsome clown.”

Auddie scoffed and swirled the sugar around in her tea. 

Soon, the clock rang out the twelfth hour, midnight. Blinking incredulously, Malcolm pulled out a silver pocket watch and raised his eyebrows. “And midnight it is.”

He pushed himself up from the table, with Auddie following suit.

“I’ll walk you to your room, I wouldn’t want you getting lost in my mansion.”

“Oh please.” She huffed.

They made their way up the stairs, giggling as they gripped the railings for support, the wine muddying their minds.

Malcolm enveloped Auddie in a hug in the hallway outside of her bedroom.

“I hope you had a lovely first day at _Château de Malcolm_.”

She nudged him away. “It was going well enough until you said that again.”

“Goodnight, Auddie.” He smiled, stepping away as she turned into the room. “I’ll see you in the morning. Bright and early.”

“Goodnight Mal.” She waved at him, leaning on the door. “Thank you again.”


	2. A Thief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! I wanted to upload chapter two ASAP!!! Since the first chapter was very OC heavy, I wanted to include some ~Tommy~ content to get the story in motion (slowly but surely)! Thank you so much for reading :)

**THE** sun had barely risen above the tree line on the horizon, the sky was still tinged with hues of purple, remnants of the night. It was an early morning in early June, and Tommy was crossing the expansive fields behind his home in stride. Cigarette dangling from his lips and cap low on his brow, he walked further and further toward the cresting hills. **  
**

He stood atop a grassy swell and surveyed the lands below. The ground was still moist from the rainstorm the night before, his shoes sinking into the mud. Stable boys were easing horses out to the pasture, the morning still cold enough that you could see their cloudy breath erupt from their nostrils as they bucked their heads back and forth. He reached for his pocket watch and glanced at the time. It was only a little after 5 am. With a sigh he pulled the cigarette from his lips and fiddled with it in between his fingertips, tapping excess ash away with his thumb.

When the sun was higher in the sky, and the shadows of the trees grew short, Tommy turned and made his way back to Arrow House.

Soon enough he found himself in his office, a freshly lit cigarette in hand and surrounded by several stacks of documents. Ledgers, requests from other MPs, faulty business propositions. The work never seemed to end, but he liked it this way. He wanted it this way. He was Thomas Shelby OBE MP. He clawed his way up this far, and he wouldn’t stop until he was at the top. He wanted all of the spoils of his internal warfare, he wanted all of the crowns.

He thumbed through his schedule, taking notes of people he had promised to meet with, speak with. Occasionally maids would tap on the door, offering tea or, more commonly, alcohol. He would wave them off, glancing over the rim of his glasses that sat low on the bridge of his nose. Eventually, by the third or fourth offer, and after reading a lengthy correspondence from a rather blunt MP, he sauntered over to his own liquor cabinet. He poured himself a glass and finished it in one swig. It was mid-morning by this time anyway, so what was the harm then?

The late morning sun bled in through the windows, casting a shadow over his office. Despite spending hours hunched over his desk, the stack of papers never seemed to dwindle. In fact, it looked as if he had barely made a dent. He was torn from his thoughts by the sound of his telephone ringing. He tossed his glasses on the desk and rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath before picking up the line.

“Hello-” Tommy began, before being promptly cut off by the voice of his aunt.

“Thomas you need to come to the shop, now.”

He wasn’t planning on going to Small Heath today, actually. He was planning for a quieter day, filing through his paperwork at Arrow House, perhaps going for a ride on the hills behind the house by the time the sun had begun its descent, and evening rolled around.

“What are you talking about Pol?” He rubbed his temples, a dull throbbing beginning in the back of his skull.

“What do you mean ‘what are you talking about’?” She mocked. He could picture her now, sitting at the shop with her eyebrows knitted together tightly, brown eyes wild, both hands clutching the telephone. “There’s been another theft. I’ll leave it at that. Get here soon.”

All Tommy heard was a ‘click’ from the other line, and the throbbing began to travel to his temples.

Cursing under his breath, he lit another cigarette and pushed himself up from the desk. He began stacking the remaining paperwork in various piles on the desk. Pursing his lips together he marked each pile with either “read” or “to be read” in a rushed scrawl.

Twisting the cigarette into the ashtray, he shoved his glasses into his pocket and made his way out of the office. Shrugging on his jacket, he nodded to Frances who watched from the stairway with her hands placed on Charlie’s shoulders. 

“My boy.” he smiled, striding over to his son. Charlie reached his arms up high as he was lifted into his father’s yard.

“Can we ride in your car, today Daddy?”

Tommy, still smiling, felt a jab of pain in his heart.

“Maybe not today, Charlie,” he pressed a kiss to his forehead. “But tomorrow, maybe.”

“Do you promise?” Charlie blinked up at his father with a tiny grin.

“I promise.” Tommy placed him back down on the ground and ruffled his hair. “Goodbye Charlie, be good to Frances, yeah?”

Charlie bounced up and down, turning toward Frances behind him.

“Say goodbye to your father,” Frances whispered in Charlie’s ear, motioning to Tommy who turned toward the doorway.

“Bye-bye Daddy!” The little boy shouted, waving his hand vigorously.

*******

The drive to Small Heath was long. He couldn’t tell if it felt exceptionally long solely because of Polly’s cryptic phone call on his mind, quietly eating away at his brain or the puddles that seemed to swamp the muddy backroads. When he did reach Small Heath, he lit a fresh cigarette in the car and took a long drag, dropping his cap on the front seat. He nodded to everyone in the shop, taking assured strides to his office in the back.

Polly was already in the office, sitting in the chair opposite his desk, legs crossed and cigarette burning in between her fingertips. Tossing his coat on the chair beside her, he stalked to his desk and collapsed in his chair.

He extended his arms, eyes wide, a flicker of irritation burning behind his blue eyes. “Tell me about the theft.”

Without a word she tapped her finger on a few ledgers that she had placed on his desk before his arrival, her eyes flicking from the paper to his face. Sighing, he hunched over and placed his glasses back on his face, his eyes scanning from left to right.

“This is the third month in a row Thomas.” 

Tommy was silent.

“It was a bigger grab this time.”

He slowly nodded his head, taking the cigarette from his lips.

“Well? What are we going to do?”

There was a rat. Someone, somewhere down the pipeline, had tipped some people off that there was bootlegged alcohol being shipped to the US, under the guise of car parts. Those rats took the tip, took the alcohol, the car parts, and were probably making quite the profit for themselves.

It started three months ago, only one piece of cargo was stolen, a particularly small crate as well. Small enough to raise no alarm to the Shelby’s. Small enough to seem as if it was simply a shipping accident– smuggling booze can’t be perfect all of the time, right?

The second time it happened it was still small, unrelated to the first, and seemingly no cause for concern.

The third time, this time, however, was bigger. Not the biggest crate they had shipped, no, but it was big enough to make these missing pieces of cargo seem all the more mysterious, and all the more connected.

“Should we try a new port? Get new people?” Polly piped up, taking a drag from her cigarette, “Throw them off?” She was nervous, he could tell it in her voice.

Tommy shook his head, reaching for the phone.

“Should I tell Arthur?”

“You can tell him. I have to make a few calls. We can talk about this as a family later”

Polly leaned over his desk and twisted her own cigarette out in the ashtray, her eyes burning into his. “You better not leave us in the dark about this, especially after what happened.”

Tommy waved her off, gritting his teeth as she made her way out of his office.

 _Fuck_. He thought. _Fuck_.

He spun the dial on the phone, twirling his cigarette in his other hand.

“Put me through to Malcolm Fraser, please.” He rested his forehead against the heel of his palm. “Thank you.”

The line buzzed once, twice, three times, until the voice of Malcolm Fraser filled the other end.

“Hello? Thomas?” 

“Yes, it’s me.” He sighed into the phone, touching the cigarette to his lips for a brief moment. “We were scheduled to meet next week, Wednesday, but I need to see you sooner.”

“How soon?”

“Today.”

There was a pause.

“What does this have to do with?”

Tommy took another drag from his cigarette. “I’d rather not talk about this over the phone.”

Malcolm sighed, “How soon today?”

Tommy flicked ash into the tray. “I don’t know, when are you available?”

“I’ll be at the warehouse in Birmingham, this afternoon around 4.” Another pause. “Does that work for you?”

“Perfect.” 

“I won’t be alone,” Malcolm continued, “I’ll have someone with me today, my-”

“Doesn’t matter. It could be the King for all I care. We need to talk. 4 o’clock in Birmingham.” Tommy ground the stub of his cigarette into the ashtray, a tiny trail of smoke twirling up to the ceiling.

He jammed the phone down with a click.


	3. A Kingdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having so much fun writing this, so I thought I'd post chapter 3 right away! Thank you for reading :)

**AUDDIE** woke up to the sound of a knock at her bedroom door. Quickly composing herself, she sat up in bed and began desperately combing through her tangled hair with her fingers. 

“Oh come in, please.” She shouted, pulling the comforter up to her chest. She still wore her nightgown, but she felt… strange about a stranger seeing her in her pajamas like this, in an unfamiliar house, in an unfamiliar city.

An older woman entered the room, pushing in a cart with a perfectly polished tray resting on top. “Good morning Miss Fraser.” 

“Hi,” Auddie began, anxiously wiggling her toes under the covers, a nervous habit she picked up from childhood. “Good morning.”

The woman dutifully began setting out a mug and plate on her bedside table.

“Mr. Fraser tells me you prefer coffee in the morning,” She stated as she reached for the coffee pot on the cart. “But just to be safe, I brought you a small cup of tea, in case you prefer the latter.”

“That is really thoughtful of you. Thank you”

“Think nothing of it.”

As she finished up placing Auddie’s breakfast the woman took a step back, briefly admiring her work no doubt. 

“Is there anything else I can get for you before I go?”

“No, no, this is perfect.”

A pause. 

“What is your name?”

“Mary.” The woman replied with a quick nod.

“Thank you, Mary.”

“Oh, and one more thing.” She added as she reached for the doorknob. “Mr. Fraser said that he had hoped to leave for brunch by 11 am.”

Auddie nodded, “I’ll be there. Thank you.” Across the room a clock hung on the wall, tick, tick, ticking away. 8:48 am.

When the door finally closed, Auddie tossed the comforter off of her body and swung her legs around the bed. She reached for the mug of hot coffee and took a small sip, tingles of caffeine running up and down her spine. Her bare feet hit the floor with a _thump_ as she padded over to the window. She alternated between sipping her coffee and nibbling on her toast, her nose close to the glass. She was trying to soak in everything, appreciate every detail, makes the city feel like a home.

She thought about taking notes on what exactly made something feel like a home to her. She finished the toast in a few bites and placed her mug on the windowsill. 

She reached for her leather satchel that she had haphazardly hung on the bedpost the night before. Digging through it, she grabbed a worn notebook and retreated to her spot by the window. 

She thumbed through to an open page and started her list of “things that felt like home” and “things that definitely did not feel like home” to her.

She decided to take notes on what exactly made London feel like a home to her, write a list of pros and cons. 

*******

After finishing her breakfast and bathing, she found herself, once again, at her vanity arranging her auburn hair. Her skin looked pale, paler than usual, and she couldn't tell if it was from poor sleep while adjusting to the new time zone, or instead remaining tendrils of sea-sickness from her voyage the day before.

She frowned. She couldn’t attempt finger waves, at least not on her own. She felt too uncomfortable to ask the only maid she knew by name so far, Mary, for help, or anyone else for that matter. She settled for a loose braid in the meantime while she applied her makeup.

The room was still in disarray, but she did manage to smooth out and hang a few dresses in her closet.

She decided on a caramel-colored dress, a high neckline with a cinched waisted that flowed to her calves. She stood in front of the floor-length mirror, turning from side to side. She couldn’t help but smile when the dress ‘swished’ with each movement.

She released her hair from the braid and brushed through it, satisfied (enough) with how the waves had air-dried.

She glanced at the same hanging clock, 10:32 am. Right on time.

*******

The apartment was alive that morning, maids and butlers alike bustling in and out of rooms. It seemed like the Saturday morning before an evening party, rather than just a regular Tuesday.

Auddie bounded down the stairs, dress flowing with each step, and satchel bumping against her thigh at every movement. At the foot of the stairs stood her brother with his back to her, hair slicked and suit pressed.

At the sound of her footsteps he turned to look at her, his hands busy adjusting the cuffs of his shirt.

“Well don’t you clean up nice,” He grinned, “And to think I picked you up as a shipwrecked mess yesterday.”

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. “You’re very funny.”

“I’m aware, and blessed every day.” 

“You can remind me how blessed you are over a meal.” She reached for a pair of heels she had tossed by the front door the night before. “I’m too hungry for your antics.” 

Malcolm raised his hands in mock defense. “Remind me not to get on your hungry side.” He quickly shrugged a light coat on. “Let’s get going then, I’ll bring the car around.”

*******

The whole drive to the restaurant involved Malcolm gushing about all of the places they were going to see. He was taking her to see “his kingdom,” he called it, referring to their family’s factories and warehouses. 

When they arrived at the restaurant, Auddie was shocked at how… fancy it was. White tablecloths, perfectly shined silverware, everyone, including the waitstaff, was impeccably dressed. It was only a Tuesday. Malcolm pulled her seat out for her as they were led to their table.

“I never thought I’d see you in a place,” Auddie gestured her hands around, “like this.”

“When are you going to believe that I’m a successful businessman?” He settled into his own seat, placing his hands on the table. 

“Maybe you’ll have me convinced after I see ‘the kingdom.’” She emphasized the ‘kingdom’ with an eye roll. 

“Was the Bentley not enough?” He placed a hand against his heart, wiping away a make-believe tear with the other. 

“Make it two Bentleys and I’ll consider your success.”

“Scoundrel.” He laughed, gently hitting his fist against the table.

As the drinks began flowing and brunch was being served, Auddie could feel the buzz begin tingling in her head, just as Malcolm had promised the day before. Her laughs became louder, and her movements less rigid. She was enjoying herself and made a mental note to add “ _drinks with Malcolm in an uncomfortably fancy place_ ” to the list of things that felt like home.

Malcolm clapped a few men on the back as they exited the restaurant, men he had met through his business ventures no doubt, and once again it made him seem different, older, not the carefree oaf of a brother she had grown up with.

The tour began with a steel factory in a city _outside_ of the city she was staying in. Auddie stared at the sign plastered on the front of the building: ‘ _FRASER & SONS.’ _She had seen that sign, many times before, on buildings growing up back home, but seeing it here, in this context, felt off, uncanny.

From factory to factory and warehouse to warehouse, Auddie went through the same routine. Standing beside her brother, smiling pleasantly, saying little, playing the part of demure little sister incredibly well. It reminded her of being a child, gripping her mother’s hand as she trailed through corridors behind her brothers and father as they toured warehouses in Boston. Her brothers, Malcolm and Douglas, were the focus then. The company was _‘FRASER & SONS,’ _with no room for a daughter there.

She made another mental note, “ _Touring factories felt like the worst parts of home._ ” Although her name was on the sign and she was just as much of a Fraser as her brother, there was no room for her there, only just a prop to smile sweetly and praise for her brother. 

The morning waned into the afternoon and almost into the evening.

“We have one more warehouse to visit,” Malcolm began, shifting in the seat of the car, tension dancing in his voice. “It’s in Birmingham, a little ways out.”

Auddie hummed in response, staring out the window.

“Something came up this morning with one of my associates, so I have to join a meeting.” He cleared his throat, glancing at Auddie out of the corner of his eye. “It’ll be brief, I hope you don’t mind.”

She waved her hand, “Think nothing of it. I’ll be able to keep myself entertained.”

“Automobiles are stored in that factory, maybe you can take notes and learn how to build one yourself.”

Auddie snorted. “I think I’ll do just that.”

*******

Malcolm rounded the front of the car and stood behind Auddie, marveling at the building. 

“Are we in the right place?” She asked, turning to her brother.

He nodded, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. 

_‘SHELBY COMPANY LTD’_ was plastered on the front and sides of the building this time. Before Auddie could ask any more questions, Malcolm began speaking. 

“I’ve partnered with the Shelby company,” He pulled a cigarette case out of his coat, “International business venture. We supply the steel for their automobiles,” he held out the open case to her, “cigarette?” She shook her head.

“Since when did you start smoking?”

He placed the cigarette between his lips, eyes narrowed as he cupped his hand around the lighter. “Since two years ago,” he mumbled in between the flicks of his lighter. “Anyways.” He paused, taking a short drag before tapping flecks of ash off. “We supply the steel for the Shelby company and assist with exports from London to Boston.” The heel of his shoe scraped against the sidewalk as he turned toward her, “And so, I get partial payment from this warehouse here.”

“Ah.” Auddie nodded, fiddling with the strap of her bag. “And that’s why you started smoking?”

Malcolm raised his index finger, talking with the dangling cigarette. “I think you’re about to meet why I started.” He patted around his chest, pulling a watch out of his pocket. “It’s about time, let's go in and watch your brother cry.”

*******

Auddie went through the same motions as the past visits, smiling, keeping quiet, shaking hands, praising her brother’s managerial skills to employees they ran into. It was all the same.

They walked through long lines of automobiles, some fully put together, others in a pile of parts or just large shipping crates. Malcolm would occasionally flail his arms from left to right, pointing to a car, in particular, that was exceptionally amazing. The crates were his favorite, because ‘FRASER & SONS’ were stamped on the side. It all felt the same to Auddie, but she smiled and nodded anyway.

Eventually, they traveled to the second floor, which was mostly offices and conference rooms, a stark difference from the layout of the floor below.

As they wandered the halls, a short red-faced man grabbed Malcolm’s attention. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and seemed frantic. Malcolm nodded quickly as he began vigorously pointing to a clipboard in his hands, a small vein popping on his temple. At some juncture, he had lost his first cigarette and began quickly lighting another, his voice low. 

“Franklin, this is my younger sister, Auddie.” Malcolm broke from the conversation, placing a hand on the other man’s shoulder and guiding him towards Auddie.

“Franklin. I manage this place.” He quipped, shoving a clipboard under his arm to extend his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand, internally cringing at his sweaty palm.

“Thank you for having me here today, your warehouse is,” she paused and glanced around, “very lovely.”

Franklin snorted, adjusting a pen that was tucked behind his ear. “Lovely is one way to put a pile of scrap metal and car parts.”

Malcolm smiled, raising his eyebrows at Auddie as he side-eyed Franklin.

“Anyways, Mr. Fraser,” Franklin cleared his throat, clipboard in hand. “I need you to look over a few ledgers in my office before Mr—”

“Say no more, I’ll be right there, just a moment.”

Franklin nodded his head, quickly stepping down the opposite end of the hallway, shoes clicking against the floor. When Auddie and Malcolm were alone, he turned to her.

“I’m so sorry to do this to you on our tour day,” Malcolm began, voice muffled from talking over the cigarette in his mouth. “Would you mind waiting here? This should be quick, I promise.” He motioned to a bench.

Auddie placed a hand on his forearm in an attempt to reassure him, “Don’t worry about it, please, take your time.”

“Thank you.” He blew smoke from the cigarette, “I wish I had an office or something here for you to wait in.”

She shook her head. “Mal, seriously, I’m fine. I’m a big girl, I think I can handle waiting on a bench.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” He winked, “I’ll be right in here.” He jerked his head in the direction of the conference room that faced the bench on the opposite wall. The blinds were shut, and the glass of the door was fogged. “But first, ledgers with Frank.”

She mustered up her best smile and took her seat on the bench. Soon enough Malcolm disappeared down the hall, the sound of his footsteps slowly disappearing with each passing moment.

With a sigh, she drummed her fingertips on her satchel, glancing all around the hallway. There were paintings, mostly of horses, and not much else. It felt stuffy, lonely even. She pulled her notebook out of the bag and flipped through the pages until she came across a clean sheet. Clicking her pen, she began scrawling all of her mental notes from the day, all centered around the feeling of home. 

She didn’t mind waiting, in fact, she was used to it, and truthfully she appreciated the time to simply write. She liked being an unknown person in an empty hallway in an unfamiliar city writing about their inner musings. Lost in her thoughts, she wasn’t sure how much time had passed, until she heard a door slam. Heavy footsteps followed, stomping up the main stairwell from the warehouse’s entrance no doubt, at the opposite end of the hall.

 _Not so alone anymore_ , she thought, still scribbling in her notes. The footsteps grew louder, and she continued to pay no mind, tapping her toes on the ground. Her attention was torn away, however, when the footsteps stopped. She glanced up from her notebook and saw a pair of impeccably polished shoes a few feet away from her, standing in front of the door of the conference room her brother had mentioned. She leaned forward a bit to admire her own shoes, which, to her own insecurity, were not nearly as polished as whoever was in front of her, now crossing her ankles in an attempt to hide. _It’s not my fault_ , she thought, _after walking through a million factories and warehouses, it’s expected that my shoes might be a little scuffed_. 

With a sigh, she kept scribbling, albeit much slower now once she realized the person she nicknamed ‘Shiny Shoes’ wasn’t moving any time soon. Curiosity began to boil in her belly, and her eyes kept darting from paper to shoes. As each moment passed her gray eyes grew a little more daring each time they flicked over to the shoes. Soon they traveled up past their ankles, then torso, shoulders, and eventually, their face.

It was a man. Not to Auddie’s surprise, the shoes and suit gave it away. His hair was cropped and clipped, save for the top of his head where it was longer and styled meticulously. Circular glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and behind them were chilling blue eyes. She had stopped writing at some point and was staring at his profile, quite openly.

Suddenly, before she could even react, his eyes flicked over to her. Her own eyes went wide, staring into his, and she immediately grabbed her pen and began scribbling with a renewed vigor. Embarrassment gnawed at her chest, and she felt her cheeks start to heat up. _This is so embarrassing, this is so embarrassing,_ she thought, berating herself. In a moment of desperate self-preservation she peered up at him again, and to her shock, and horror, he was staring directly at her. It was hopeless, her cheeks were definitely beet red.

She vowed to keep her eyes glued to her notebook, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She didn’t even care what she was writing, just anything to keep busy. As she read it over, it was complete and utter gibberish, anyone who glanced at the page could tell that. In the midst of her inner turmoil, she swore that she heard him laugh. Her heart rattled in her ribcage and she stopped writing, pen still stuck to the page.

Turning her head up to look at him directly, face-on now, her suspicions were right. A muscle feathered in his jaw, and a smirk was pricking at the corners of his lips. _I look like such a fool_ , she hammered into her head. _Should I say something? Should I apologize? That would look even weirder, wouldn’t it_? 

His icy gaze broke away for a moment, giving Auddie a moment of reprieve, before he turned back toward her again, smirk still on his lips. He took a step forward, closing the gap between them a bit, and she could’ve sworn her heart stopped beating at that moment. Their gaze was locked, she was so close to saying something anything, until--

“Ah, Mr. Shelby!”

Her head jerked to the opposite end of the hall where her brother was strutting down, arms out wide. Franklin scurried not far behind him, carrying the same clipboard.

Malcolm paused, “I see you’ve met my sister.”


	4. A Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told myself I was going to wait until Friday to post this, but I am having such a fun time with this story that I had to post it today :,) I think this might be one of my favorite chapters! Thank you again for reading!

_**SISTER** , huh. _ Tommy thought, eyes slowly flicking back and forth from Malcolm to the girl in front of him. _Explains the guest he mentioned would be with him._

She tucked her hair to the side and could see her face more clearly. She was young with fair skin and auburn hair. 

“Not sure if “met” is the right word for it.” He started, fully shifting his body to face her. If “met” meant he caught her staring, then sure, they were very well acquainted. “I think we just happened to be at the same place at the same time.”

“Well lucky for me that I got to intercept and introduce you both properly then.” Malcolm smiled, chipper as always. Obviously flustered, the girl shoved her notebook into the bag beside her and stood next to her brother. 

Malcolm placed a hand on her shoulder, “This is my little sister, Auddie. Auddie Fraser.” With his other hand, he gestured to Tommy. “Auddie, this is my business associate, Mr. Thomas Shelby.”

She took a step toward him and extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shelby. My brother sang your company’s praises while showing me this warehouse today.”

“Sang my praises, eh?” Tommy echoed as he took her hand and shook it, turning his head to the side to look at Malcolm. 

“Oh, I’d sing your praises and do a little jig for you any day of the week, Mr. Shelby.” Malcolm grinned cheekily.

Scoffing, Tommy released her hand. He caught another quick look at her, the girl, Auddie. Her cheeks were still flushed, remnants of embarrassment he guessed, as she smiled wide at her brother.

“With greetings out of the way,” Franklin cleared his throat, stepping in between the trio. “I believe we have some business to discuss.” He tapped the clipboard with his pen. Malcolm nodded his head, stepping toward the fogged glass door of the conference room and turning the knob. Franklin scuffled in ahead of them both, with Tommy following suit before turning on his heel in the doorway toward Auddie.

“It was nice to meet you, Miss Fraser.” A knowing smile on his lips. Her gaze snapped to the floor, no doubt feeling sheepish after getting caught gawking.

“This shouldn’t take long.” Malcolm called over his shoulder, before shutting and locking the door with a click.

*******

The dim light above the long conference table hummed. Franklin circled the room ensuring that the blinds were closed, and Malcolm took a seat beside the head of the table, mindlessly drumming his fingers against the glossy wood. Tommy sat at the head, placing his briefcase in front of him. 

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” Tommy began, leaning back in his chair. “I’ve called you both here today to discuss a shipping error that has come to my attention.” He pulled out several folders stuffed with documents from his briefcase and slid them toward Malcolm and Franklin. “It's come to my attention that there has been a steady increase of missing crates from the Boston seaport for the past three months.” Malcolm’s brow furrowed as his eyes scanned the ledgers, fingertips resting on his temples. Franklin, however, was frantically tracing each line with his capped pen, face grower redder. “I think it’s a little more than just a shipping error. I think there’s a rat, and these crates are being stolen.”

“Stolen?” Malcolm echoed, meeting Tommy’s gaze. “I don’t know if we could say that they’re being stolen just yet.”

“Well, what does it look like to you?” Tommy raised a brow, jerking his hand toward the paper in front of him. Malcolm opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly speechless. Finally, he answered.

“A coincidence.” He paused, placing the papers back in their folder, eyebrows raised. “We’ve had it happen before.”

“Not three months in a row, not crates that have been shipped to the same port, on the same boat, by the same people in this company.” Tommy pulled his glasses off and pointed to the ledger with them. “Not solely with crates loaded with _illegal_ alcohol.”

“When you put it that way,” Malcolm’s voice trailed off. He raised his hands. “Listen, all I’m saying is that we shouldn’t sound the alarm bells just yet. Let’s give it another month or two, and see what happens. We can save everyone the trouble.”

The air felt thick, suffocating almost.

“I’d like to remind you,” Tommy cleared his throat, “That this is under your jurisdiction. You are in charge of all exports from London to Boston. And I have Frank here,” he motioned to the man in the back, visibly sweating now, “as a witness to our conversation.”

Malcolm ran a hand through his hair, taking a heavy sigh. “I understand.”

“I’ll give you a grace period. I’ll give you a month or two to figure this out,” Tommy placed his glasses on and pushed himself up from the table. “Then the missing crates, and everything in them, is on you, Malcolm.”

Silence sat heavy in the room, and the dull humming of the overhead lamp seemed to grow louder with each passing second.

“Am I clear?”

Malcolm cleared his throat, resting his hands on the table. “Crystal.”

“Glad to hear it.” Tommy gave him a tight-lipped grin, icy blue eyes clashing with steely gray. He quickly lit a cigarette and balanced it in between his lips. “Frank, I’d like you to take special care of these papers,” he tapped them with his lighter. “We’ll reconvene here, just the three of us when I get the invoice for each shipment for the next two months and see what happens.”

“May I keep a copy?” Malcolm motioned to his own folder.

“Be my guest.” Tommy waved his hand, “You’re both free to go. This is all I wanted to speak to you about.”

Franklin began vigorously nodding his head and gathered his documents, quickly tucking them into his clipboard. He muttered a brief ‘goodbye’ to them as he scurried out, the door shutting with a slam.

Malcolm fiddled with the cuffs on his shirt and exhaled heavily. One wrong move and all tensions could come boiling over. 

“So,” Tommy began in between the drags of his cigarette, “What’s your sister doing here?”

Malcolm paused, shuffling the papers on the table. “She’s just staying with me for a bit, needed a change of scenery from home.”

“Ah,” Tommy replied. 

“I was supposed to take her to the stables this afternoon, to show her my horses,” Malcolm continued, “But I’m thinking I’ll make a day out of it tomorrow.”

“Stables, eh? Didn’t know you were much for horses.”

Malcolm grinned. “I’d bet there’s much you don’t know about me, Mr. Shelby.”

Tommy scoffed, dragging the cigarette across his lips, blue eyes focused on the closed blinds instead of looking at Malcolm directly. Feeling the tension, Malcolm spoke up again.

“But I know you’re much for horses, right?”

Tommy flicked the ash off of the cigarette onto an ashtray on the table. “I dabble.”

“Why don’t you come with us tomorrow? Just for the day. We can have dinner at my cottage after.” Malcolm took a step closer to him. “It’ll give us some more time to take about the crates, and blow off some steam on horseback, would do us both good I’m sure.”

Tommy stared at him, incredulous. 

“It’s just a suggestion,” Malcolm held his hands up. “I’m just thinking it can ease the stress of the whole… situation. It’s on me, I’ll get it figured out.”

Tommy nodded his head.

“The invitations open,” Malcolm tore off a piece of paper and pulled a pen out of his pocket. He scribbled down an address and directions. “We’d love to have you come by tomorrow. I just bought a stallion.” Tommy took the paper from him and studied it carefully, glancing up at Malcolm after reading it fully.

“I’ll look at my schedule.” He folded the paper and slid it into his front chest pocket.

“Well, I hope to see you there.” Malcolm smiled, tucking the folder under his arm. He nudged the door open with his elbow and kept it sturdy with his foot. “After you.”

Tommy stepped out into the hallway and caught a glimpse of her, the girl, sitting on the same bench, scribbling into the same notebook. She slowly lifted her head, and their eyes met again. A sheepish smile appeared on her lips, and she quickly began packing up her bag once again. She stood up, hands clasped together in front of her.

“Miss Fraser.” He nodded his head toward her, stepping aside for Malcolm to exit the office. She smiled.

“Mr. Shelby.”

“Well!” Malcolm clapped his hands together, “That was certainly fun.”

Tommy rolled his eyes, and the girl laughed under her breath.

“I invited Mr. Shelby to the stables with us tomorrow.”

Tommy glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, for a brief moment panic washed over her face, and then it disappeared.

“Are you coming Mr. Shelby?” She asked, her eyes meeting his.

He paused, unsure.

“I’ll have to check my schedule.”

She nodded her head. 

They exited the warehouse together, mostly in silence, save for small comments Malcolm made about various trinkets in the hallways. Outside by their cars, Tommy dipped his head toward them both and inhaled from a freshly lit cigarette. 

“Here’s to hoping you can make it tomorrow Mr. Shelby.” Malcolm said, glancing at his watch, “and here’s to hoping we can make it home in time for dinner, I’m starved.”

She smiled.

Tommy took a step toward Malcolm, shaking his hand firmly. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice Malcolm.” He turned his head toward the girl beside him. “It was good to meet you, Miss Fraser.”

*******

It was a short drive to the betting shop from the warehouse. He still felt on edge about the whole situation, the missing crates. He didn’t want to condemn Malcolm’s attitude about it, not yet. He would give him two months to investigate the issue and go from there. He could afford two months. On the other hand, he knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it from Polly, especially if he came back with more questions than answers, and he could already feel a headache coming on if Arthur had found out.

He parked the car on the street and stamped out the stub of his cigarette, and made his way inside. It was after hours, so the shop was mostly empty, save for Polly and, to Tommy’s dismay, Arthur.

“The fuck is going on Tom?” Arthur’s voice bellowed, shoving himself up from the desk he was lounging at. 

Polly was silently stewing, clutching her cigarette and taking short, calculated puffs from it. Where Arthur was loud, white, hot anger, she was the quiet, red tendrils seeping in. At this moment, he was trapped between both ends of it.

“In my office.” Tommy stalked to the back of the shop, rolling his shoulders. He rounded the corner of his desk and tossed the briefcase on the ground. He watched as Polly slid into her seat across from him, and Arthur shut the door with a heavy slam. He chose to pace back and forth around the room, Tommy’s eyes following him carefully.

“Polly told me that our crates full of booze are getting grabbed.” Arthur spat, “That there’s a rat.”

“We don’t know if there’s a rat yet.” 

“So what are we doing? Just waiting around until it shows up and does a little dance for us?” Polly interrupted, body visibly tensing.

“I spoke to Malcolm Fraser about it today.”

“Bloody American,” Arthur continued his pacing, “I knew we should’ve never trusted him.”

“I said I spoke to him, I didn’t say he was guilty,” Tommy rolled his eyes and leaned into his seat, continuing on, “Like I was saying. I spoke to Malcolm Fraser about it, and he’s going to look into it for us.”

Polly scoffed, crossing one leg over the other. 

“I’m giving him two months,” Tommy held up two fingers, “Two months to look into this. I’m going to be watching him, very carefully.”

“Do you think he’s the rat?”

Tommy sighed. “I can’t say for sure if it’s him or one of his people in Boston. We’ll find out soon enough.”

“We have to catch this early,” Polly stood up. “Before they get too daring, and more cargo gets taken. It’ll send a bad message, make us look weak.” She paused, taking a long pull from her cigarette. “More expensive cargo.”

“I know,” Tommy replied. “I have a plan. All I’m asking is for your patience for just two months.”

Arthur grumbled under his breath, running a ragged hand through his hair. Polly sighed, her lips in a tight line. 

“Two months.” She repeated, twisting her cigarette out. “I’m still keeping my eyes on the ledgers, the numbers.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Tommy grinned.

“I have a bad feeling about this Tommy.” She sighed, “Allowing him, an outsider, to manage these exports.”

“Just take it easy Pol,” He removed his glasses and placed them on his desk. “I have a plan.”

He pointed to Arthur, “You too. Take it easy. Two months of laying low about this.”

“I’ll be watching him too, yeah? I got a bad feeling too.” Arthur grumbled. “First the Italians, and now this? Dammit, Tom.”

“Two months.” Tommy sighed, before waving his hand toward them. “You can both go. I have some calls to make.”

Polly stared at him, eyebrows knitted together. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Always do.”

*******

Hours rolled by, and soon his office was blanketed in shadows. The afternoon rolled into evening and evening into the night. The lights were dim, and the only noises that remained were from a crackling fire and the ticking of a clock. He splashed whiskey into his glass and took a quick swig. His eyes were glued to various documents, working his way through another pile of requests, ledgers, invitations that had built up throughout the day. 

Papers were scattered across his desk haphazardly, with a sigh, he leaned back and took another swig. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a tiny piece of scrap paper that poked out from under the others. He reached for it and absentmindedly sipped his drink in one hand while studying the paper in the other.

 _Malcolm’s stable_ , he thought to himself with a hum. He placed it back down. Eyes caught in a trance, staring at nowhere in particular. He glanced down at his desk, shuffled through the stacks of paper and flipped through his schedule. His itinerary for the following day, save for a few appointments in the morning, was empty. He mulled over the idea of visiting Malcolm’s stables. He had no reason to go, his only time with Fraser involved work, and in this case, his work would involve a touch of subterfuge.

Perhaps he had one reason, curiosity. Curiosity for what, he wasn’t entirely sure. Curiosity to survey a stable full of new horses, or perhaps, it was a curiosity for something more... personal. Curiosity about Fraser’s sister? What was her name, Addie? Auddie? He couldn’t even remember. He just remembered her red hair, and the face she made when he caught her staring. He was almost forty, for christ sake, she looked a little older than twenty. He wasn’t some green schoolboy looking at a pretty girl for the first time.

Tommy nearly kicked himself at the thought. She was so young, it felt stupid. Curiosity about his associate’s sister, his associate who may or may not be a rat, mind you. It was stupid.

As a remedy for his turmoil, he lit a cigarette. Before he could come to any rational decision, he cursed under his breath and reached for the phone, deftly turning the dial. Clearing his throat, he spoke into the receiver, quickly reciting a combination of numbers.

“Put me through to Malcolm Fraser.”


	5. A Stallion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I am terrible at waiting. After I finish editing a chapter I have to post it immediately hehe 🥳 One day I'll have a legitimate posting schedule, for now, it's all about sporadic chapters throughout the week :,) I have another chapter ready to go for tomorrow, which might be one of my favorites so far (catch me saying that after every post I make) Thank you for reading!!

**IT** was about an hour's drive from Malcolm’s apartment in London to his cottage out in the countryside. The weather that morning was pleasant, in fact, it felt more like autumn than summer. No humidity, clear skies, and a gentle breeze. Auddie and Malcolm drove up a winding dirt road, and each bump that collided with the tires caused the various pieces of luggage in the backseats to bounce and shift. The back was so stuffed with bags that it was hard to believe that they had only planned for a single day trip.

“Are you going to tell me what he said or what?” Malcolm whined, pulling his sunglasses down lower on his nose as he looked at Auddie.

Auddie smirked, eyes glued to the map she held out in front of her. “He’s your brother too, give him a call yourself.”

“Oh come on, you know for a fact he won’t answer me.”

“I don’t think you’ve tried hard enough.”

“I’ve tried very hard!”

The evening before, Auddie spoke to their older brother, Douglas, on the phone to fill him in on her time in London so far. Malcolm joined the conversation for a bit but eventually had to be shoved out of the room for talking too much. Auddie’s attempts of locking him out ultimately failed, because she could see the shadow of her brother crouching under the crack of the door for the remainder of the phone call.

“What are you trying to prove to him?” She asked, still looking at the map.

There was a brief moment of silence from Malcolm’s end before he opened his mouth to reply.

“I just want him to know that I’m successful over here. I want him to know I’m taking care of the business on this side of the ocean, just as much as he is back home.”

“Well, I think he knows that.”

“Yeah, sure, but he never says it.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a wonderful job.” She paused mid-sentence, smoothing the map out on her lap. “I mean, from all that you showed me yesterday, you’re doing great things for not only the family but the company as a whole. It’s quite the expansion, and I made sure to tell Douglas that.”

“Oh, you’re my favorite sister.”

“Don’t let Douglas get you down. He's proud of you, I know it. He's terrible at expressing himself, I only think I've seen him smile at Christmas when we were children.” She tried to give him her best smile.

He looked at her from over his shoulder, his lips were smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Thank you Auddie.”

She waved a hand at him. “Now stop whining and keep driving, I want to see the horses.”

*******

Auddie stared out the window, the trees blurring together in splotches of green against the backdrop of a blue sky. She had folded up the map completely now, satisfied enough in her attempt to make sense of all of the unfamiliar roads on it. 

“Do you think Mr. Shelby is going to come?” Auddie asked, still focusing on the window.

Malcolm shrugged, tapping the wheel with his thumbs. “Maybe, maybe not. You can’t really tell what he’s going to do.”

She sighed, tearing her gaze from the window to the profile of her brother.

“Truthfully,” she began, “I hope he doesn’t come.”

Malcolm raised his brows, “Well that’s kind of harsh, isn’t it?”

“He just seems kind of smug.” She continued, glancing back at the window. “And cold. Not really someone I’d want to spend the day with.”

“You’ve only met him for a few moments. He’s a little rough around the edges, sure, but he is a decent man.” Malcolm sighed. “You can’t just pass judgment on someone so quickly.”

“Fair enough.” She rolled her eyes. “I just got a feeling about him, you know?”

“I get feelings _all_ of the time. Usually after partaking in some snow,” he wagged a finger at her. “And next thing you know I’m naked in a stranger’s bedroom and it’s a Tuesday.”

“Let’s mark that under ‘things I never wanted to know and will have to immediately scrub from my memory.’”

“Oh, you’re no fun.” Malcolm groaned.

“I’m plenty of fun, you’re just gross.”

“Gross and—” His voice trailed off, dragging out the word.

“Funny. You’re very funny.”

“I was going to say handsome, but I’ll always accept compliments for my hilarious, and charming, wit.” He pulled his sunglasses down a bit and winked at her.

“I might just throw myself out of the moving car.”

*******

It was just about noon when they arrived at the cottage. Auddie could hardly believe her brother called it a _cottage._ A cottage in her opinion insinuated a small home. Her brother’s version of a cottage? A tiny mansion.

“Why would you live in the city when you have a place like this?” Auddie sighed, staring at the tumbling stone expanse in front of her. It was the largest one floor home she had ever seen.

“Work.” Malcolm groaned next to her, placing his hands on his hips. “But I do spend some weekends here in the spring and summer.”

“I’d spend every day here.” She turned her head all around, enamored by the perfectly manicured hedges and flower gardens that framed the face of the house. 

The area around the “cottage” was surrounded by green pastures, and a faraway cedar tree line marked the end of the property. It all seemed like a fairytale, a dream. Mindlessly feeling for her satchel that bumped her thigh, she made a mental note. ‘ _Malcolm’s ‘not-so-cottage’ cottage feels like home._ ’ 

“Now, I’d recommend looking a little bit to your right,” Malcolm whispered, nudging her in the side with his elbow.

“What are you talking abo-” While she turned her head toward the right, her jaw dropped. A little way out from the house was what could only be what she was hoping for: the stables. They were surrounded by a wooden fence that seemed to go on for miles. She turned on her heel to face her brother, grinning wildly.

“Took you long enough to notice it.” Malcolm gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Let’s put our things away and head on over, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

*******

The foyer of the cottage was exceptionally beautiful. Large windows allowed for sunlight to trickle in, brightening the entire area. Where Malcolm’s apartment in London was ornate and regal, this summer cottage was much softer, perhaps even a little bit cozy. Paintings of landscapes in the springtime decorated the walls, and bookshelves were filled to the brim with worn covers and knick-knacks. To no one’s surprise, he had a small staff of maids and butlers working for him, who dutifully whisked their bags away. A younger maid helped Auddie search for her favorite scally cap in a carry-on bag, while Malcolm exited the room with an older butler to presumably discuss dinner preparations. 

Auddie sat on the floor and slid her boots on over her sand-colored riding breeches, a smile still plastered on her face. Soon enough Malcolm returned to the room clad with his own boots and scally cap. He extended his hand and helped her hop to her feet. She ran her hands across the sweater she wore in an attempt to straighten out any wrinkles, and quickie shrugged on a light wool coat.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” She grinned, adjusting the cap on her head. 

*******

She practically skipped across the field toward the stable, occasionally turning and walking backward to talk with Malcolm as they waded through the tall grass.

He put his hands in front of him as he stood by the entrance of the stable. “I need you to wait right here.” She nodded her head.

As he stepped inside, he called over his shoulder, “And cover your eyes!”

Covering her eyes, she wiggled her toes in her boots. Moments felt like hours, and soon she began to hear snorting and the distinct sound of Malcolm grumbling under his breath.

“Okay… and… look!”

She uncovered her eyes and gasped, in front of her stood a large black horse. 

“Does he look familiar to you?” Malcolm played coy, patting the horse on the shoulder.

“He looks like my Belmont!” She took a few steps forward, tentatively placing the palm of her hand on the horse’s forehead. When the horse didn’t immediately object, and instead simply blew air out of his nostrils, she continued to gently stroke up from his snout to his ears.

“I’ve called him Belmont Jr.” Malcolm grinned, handing the reins to her. “He's yours. It’s a ‘welcome home-ish’ gift for you. I bought him when I found out you were coming to stay for a while. I thought he could help with the homesickness.”

Auddie could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Throughout her childhood, and teenage years, she had her own horse, Belmont, a black stallion. He had passed away years ago, and with the death of any pet, or family member for that matter, it felt like a knife had twisted in her heart. He was her first horse, given to her by her mother, and when he passed it became a wound never truly healed.

“Malcolm, I don’t know how to thank you.” She sniffled, patting the horse’s neck. “He’s perfect.”

He waved his hand toward her with a wink. “There’s no need to thank me. Just remember which brother got you a horse.” 

Auddie shook her head, smiling at her brother.

“Come on, let me show you the rest of them.” He motioned for a stable boy to take the reins of Belmont Jr and instructed the boy to get him properly saddled for a ride. “Jr here will be ready to go in the pasture over there for us,” Malcolm emphasized the sentence with a pat on the horse’s shoulder.

Inside, Auddie stared at the high ceilings where birds fluttered about. A few other stable hands milled in and out of the building, each one nodding their head toward Malcolm as they passed by.

“Let me introduce you to everyone.” He gestured to a gray and white speckled horse that was in the first stall by the entrance.

“This one is my _son_.” He placed his hand on the horse’s snout. “His name is Pebble. I would lay down my life for him. My beautiful son.”

Auddie grinned, petting the horse while Malcolm cooed in his face. “Your son is very handsome.”

They traveled down the line of stalls, starting with Pebble, followed by a gray horse called Flint, a white horse named Belladonna, and last but not least, an old pony Malcolm had named Douglas.

“Now that the introductions are out of the way.” Malcolm clapped his hands together. “Let’s go for a ride.”

When they exited the stable, Belmont Jr was fully saddled and ready to go. Malcolm trailed behind with Pebble in tow. 

With the help of a particularly tall box, Auddie climbed atop Belmont Jr and swung one leg around him. Being on horseback gave her an entirely different perspective of the property. As she stared at the rolling green landscape, she noticed a man, most likely a butler, from the cottage running across the field toward the stable.

“Mr. Fraser,” The man huffed in between breaths, bending over and resting his hands on his knees. “There is someone here to see you.” Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.

“Really?” Malcolm quipped, a small smile on his lips. He handed the reins of Pebble to a stable boy and turned to Auddie. “You can go on ahead without me, I’ll catch up, there is something I need to attend to at the house.”

She nodded and nudged the horse into a trot. Malcolm removed his cap and ran a hand through his hair as he followed the butler back toward the cottage. 

Auddie rode around in circles for a bit, getting a feel for her Belmont Jr. _He was an agreeable horse_ , she thought. _He has such an even-temperament, he rarely thrashes his head around_.

That morning she had braided her hair into a tight bun on the nape of her neck, and with each bounce from the horse’s strides, she could slowly feel it coming loose, strand by strand. 

“Auddie! Over here!” She heard the voice of Malcolm call from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the figure of her brother walking across the field, waving his arms in the air, and next to him, to her dismay, could only be Mr. Shelby. 

“What the fuck.” She cursed under her breath, and she could’ve sworn she heard Belmont Jr snort at it. She tugged the cap lower on her head and steered the horse around, nudging him into a slow gallop toward the fence where her brother and Mr. Shelby stood.

Malcolm was right, she didn’t have much to base her dislike for Mr. Shelby on. The fact of the matter was, she was embarrassed. She was embarrassed that he caught her staring at him, it made her feel like a nosy little girl. She was embarrassed, because the reason for her staring, was that she thought he was handsome, she couldn’t help herself but stare. God, and when he did catch her staring, and then started _laughing_ , oh, she felt even worse. To put it plainly, her feelings regarding Mr. Shelby was much more complicated than just thinking he was smug and cold. Truthfully, she was embarrassed to be laughed at by a handsome man. A handsome man who happened to be a business associate of her older brother. It was humiliating. In Auddie’s mind, the easiest way to deal with such an embarrassing situation, in her opinion, was to completely reject and deflect anything and everything about it, including Mr. Shelby himself.

She tugged on the reins and eased Belmont Jr to a stop by the fence. At this point, the braids she had so carefully crafted that morning had completely fallen apart. She removed her cap and tucked it under her arm, shaking her hair out and fully succumbing to the wavy mess that tumbled from its confines.

She had the height in this position atop of Belmont Jr and looked down at her brother and Mr. Shelby with a curt nod.

“Mr. Shelby came to join us today.” Malcolm began, placing his cap back on his head. “He loves horses.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Shelby.” Auddie forced a smile, she could feel her face turning red. “I’m glad you were able to make it.”

“Miss Fraser.” He nodded his head, balancing a cigarette in between his lips. She noticed he didn’t have his glasses today, and he had ditched the suit jacket for a waistcoat and crisp button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. “Happy to be here.” He paused, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before he gestured toward the horse. “Quite the fine horse you have there.”

A genuine smile flickered on her lips. “Yes, he is quite fine.” She gave the horse a good pat. “His name is Belmont.”

Malcolm cleared his throat, “Belmont Jr.”

Auddie rolled her eyes, grinning now. “Yes, Belmont Jr.”

“This is the new stallion I was telling you about,” Malcolm noted, nodding his head toward Mr. Shelby.

“It was a gracious gift from my immensely generous brother.” Auddie quipped. “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

“Very lucky it seems.” Mr. Shelby commented, taking a drag from his cigarette, a ghost of a smile on his lips. He reached for the horse. “May I?”

Auddie waved her hand, “Be my guest.”

He adjusted the cigarette in his mouth before leaning toward the horse. He began stroking his forehead, and to Auddie’s observation, it looked like he was doing more than just a simple greeting. Each movement Mr. Shelby made was calculated and purposeful, even particularly gentle, like he had gone through these same motions with a hundred other horses before, and will continue with hundred more horses in the future.

“How old is he?” He spoke against the cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth.

“Oh, I think about six or seven,” Malcolm replied, hands shoved into his pockets.

“He’s strong. A good horse.” Mr. Shelby commented, giving him one final pat before taking a few steps back.

“Enough talking.” Malcolm stepped forward, “Let’s go get you a horse? I have a wonderful pony that I think would suit you quite nicely.” 

Mr. Shelby shook his head at Malcolm’s words, and flicked his cigarette toward the ground, and stamped it out with his heel. 

Auddie laughed, quite loudly, and quickly covered her mouth. The thought of the grim Mr. Shelby on top of Douglas the pony was too hilarious for her to pass up.

Mr. Shelby’s eyes met hers once again, and a half-smile seemed to prick at the corner of his lips too. Malcolm and Mr. Shelby walked to the stable, with Malcolm loudly pointing out his precious Pebble to him, who was tied up by the entrance. Before they disappeared through the large barn-like doors, Mr. Shelby glanced at her from over his shoulder, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

*******

To Malcolm’s disappointment, Mr. Shelby did not in fact choose to ride Douglas the pony. Instead, he opted for Belladonna, the sleek white mare. 

The three traipsed through the fields, surveying Malcolm’s property. Occasionally Malcolm would point out a certain area and claim he was going to build a pool there, or perhaps his own horse racing track, or maybe a second cottage within a cottage. 

Auddie trailed behind, hair-free and cap now shoved into her pocket. She listened silently, smiling to herself when her brother said something particularly foolish, and when Mr. Shelby would scoff in response. 

“Why so quiet?” Malcolm called over his shoulder, tugging on the reins to slow Pebble down. Mr. Shelby followed suit, and soon, she was flanked on both sides by them. 

“I’m just thinking.”

“About? Secrets aren’t fun.” Malcolm asked, adjusting his position in the saddle to face her.

“I’m starting to think you and I both have very different definitions of fun.” She smirked, staring at a particularly large cedar tree in the distance. “Secrets are very fun.”

Before Malcolm could huff and puff, Mr. Shelby spoke up. “I’d have to agree. The right secrets are fun.”

“Who decides a secret is fun, huh?” Malcolm replied.

“That’s the fun part.” Auddie smiled, quickly glancing at Mr. Shelby, he was smiling too.

“Two against one?” Malcolm gasped, placing a hand on his heart.

They circled back toward the stables. Malcolm was talking, well, more yelling, about something, Auddie couldn’t quite make out what he was saying until another voice cut him off. 

“Mr. Fraser!”

It was the same man from before, sprinting from the house to the stables. Malcolm rode ahead to meet him at the fence, he leaned down low on the horse to hear him better. He nodded his head vigorously and quickly looped back to Auddie and Mr. Shelby.

“I have a call at the house.” He sighed, his tone strained with what could only be exhaustion and irritation. “I’ll be right back. Keep riding, please don’t stop on my account.”

Auddie’s heart fluttered in her chest. She took a look at Mr. Shelby from the corner of her eye, anxiety gnawing at her gut. To her misfortunate, he was already looking at her, straight-on.

“Would you like to keep riding?” He asked.

She paused, mulling the idea over in her head. Truthfully? No, she didn’t. The thought of riding around an unfamiliar place with her brother’s (handsome) coworker seems uncomfortable at best, but he was her brother’s (handsome) coworker, and she wanted to make a good impression, for Malcolm's sake. Definitely just for Malcolm. She didn’t want to spend time with Mr. Shelby at all. Definitely.

“I could go for another round.” She said with a quick nod. 

*******

They rode side by side toward the opposite end of the field this time. 

To Auddie’s relief, and also misery, it was mostly in silence. She wasn’t sure what to say, did she ask him about work? Ask where he was from? How did he meet Malcolm? Her mind was buzzing, and she was never any good at starting a conversation. 

Sucking in a deep breath, she gathered up the courage to take a quick glance at him from the corner of her eye. He wasn’t already staring at her, thankfully. Instead, he looked straight ahead at the open pasture, reins wrapped tightly around his fists. He looked perfectly content on horseback like he belonged there. He really was handsome. 

Internally cringing at herself, she tried focusing ahead on something, anything. She settled on staring at the tallest cedar tree in the distance this time.

A few moments passed by before a terrible combination of anxiety and curiosity began gnawing at her stomach. A million little thoughts plagued her mind. Was he content just riding in silence with a stranger? Is this a pain for him, riding around with his coworker’s little sister? Does he remember her staring at him? Of course, he does, it only happened yesterday.

She figured she could take a second glance, even quicker this time, and then she would stop. She would suck it up and ride in silence after that. Who knew when she would ever see him again? She turned her head to the side, glancing at his jaw again, she noticed a smile on his lips this time. Eyes wide, she jerked her eyes forward and sat up straight in the saddle. She heard a low chuckle.

Her palms felt clammy against the reins and her cheeks burned red hot. _So embarrassing_ , she grimaced. _Gracelessly caught, once again._

“If you want to say something,” Mr. Shelby’s voice sliced through her thoughts. “You can go ahead and say it.”

Auddie cleared her throat in a moment of self-preservation, desperately trying to collect herself. 

“I was just wondering,” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “How long have you been working with Malcolm?”

“You’ve been staring a lot, just for a question like that.” He commented clearly, smirking, before continuing. “We’ve worked together for a little over a year now.”

 _Smug._ She thought. _I was right. He’s cold and smug._ She kept her eyes fixated on the same tree in the distance.

“Well, I just wasn’t sure how to start a conversation, that’s all.” She replied.

“Do you always stare at people to get their attention?” He cocked his head to the side and glanced at her briefly, before readjusting in his seat and staring straight ahead.

“Maybe.” She shrugged.

The silence loomed again.

“Hm.” He hummed, “Does it work?”

“It’s working now, isn’t it Mr. Shelby?”

He grinned this time, slowly nodding his head, but never looking directly at her. “Tactfully put, Miss Fraser.”

The silence returned, albeit briefer this time.

“You can call me Auddie, by the way.”

He fully turned toward her.

“My name, Auddie.” She paused, suddenly nervous with his full attention. “You’ve been calling me Miss Fraser this whole time.”

“Auddie.” He repeated. “Auddie.”

She could feel her cheeks flush, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Since we’re conversing now,” She began, gripping the reins tightly. “I want to see what’s at the treeline down there.” She pointed ahead.

Gesturing with his arm, he raised his eyebrows. “Lead the way.”

“Alright, well, I want to see how this one moves.” She grinned, patting Belmont Jr’s neck. “Try to catch up?” Without looking back, she nudged her horse into a steady trot, and then a full gallop.

She sat low on the horse, the wind fanning her face as Belmont Jr picked up speed. Her heart fluttered in her chest when she could hear Mr. Shelby click his tongue and instructed something she could not make out to his horse, followed by the stamping of hooves into the earth behind her.

“Is this a race Miss Fraser?” She heard him call, not far behind, voice muffled by the jolting of the horse.

“Depends on if I win or not!” She yelled over her shoulder. “And I told you to call me Auddie!”


	6. A Chance Arrangement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter!!! It was so much fun to write :,) Thank you for reading! (ps check the end notes for a playlist i made!)

**TOMMY** couldn’t believe it. Here he was, in the middle of nowhere, having a horse race with a girl he barely knew— and calling her a girl he barely knew was an overstatement. Thomas Shelby MP OBE, a known gangster, just having a romp in the countryside. Unbelievable.

Once they had reached the edge of the forest both horses were out of breath, snorting and stamping their hooves into the earth, kicking up chunks of grass in the process.

“Belmont Jr is fast.” The girl, Auddie, huffed with her face flushed and hair wild from the wind.

“I’ll say.” He replied, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his own hair.

He felt stupid. The horse race, the girl, Malcolm’s cottage, the fucking missing crates. It all felt stupid, and despite that, he didn’t regret coming. The way she looked at him, the way her hair looked. He couldn’t regret it. Even if it felt stupid.

“Belladonna wasn’t too bad either.” She replied, smirking, her hands busy attempting to quell her untamed hair. “You almost caught me.”

He scoffed, readjusting his position on the saddle. “Going from unable to start a conversation, to openly mocking me now, eh?”

“Not mocking, just being honest.” Auddie grinned, wagging a finger at him. “And, I think I started our conversation just fine. You’re still talking to me, so it can’t be that bad.”

“Maybe so.” He slowly nodded his head, their eyes locking together, both smiling until she ducked her head away.

“I think I need to stretch my legs,” She began, glancing at him quickly. “If you don’t mind taking a quick break before we head back.”

He shook his head, he figured he could use a stretch too.

Swinging her legs to one side, she deftly hopped off of the horse, boots hitting the ground with a thump. Still, on horseback, he watched her give the horse a gentle pat before looking up at him from under her eyelashes. He stared down at her, his eyes clashing with hers before she smiled softly and began leading the horse’s reins toward the forest.

When their eyes met, he certainly felt like a schoolboy. He hated it, he was too old for this, but he hopped off of his own horse and followed her to the cedar trees anyway.

“I was hoping there would be a trail back here.” She commented, her back facing him. 

“You like forest riding?”

“I prefer it, actually.” She replied, “Do you enjoy it?”

“I do.”

“It’s a shame there isn’t a trail around here.” She continued, “Perhaps if we were here for a weekend, we could make one.”

“Perhaps.”

It would take more than a weekend to make a trail in the area. The forest was dense, trees packed closely together, roots grown wild, and it was nearly impossible to make out where the ground was because of the thick brush. Tommy looked at her while she stared at the forest, her head was tilted upwards, no doubt admiring how high the trees were. There were plenty of trails in the forest behind his home, however. Maybe he could… 

He was suddenly torn from his thoughts because this time, it was her eyes who caught him. 

“What are you looking at?” She had a wide, knowing smile on her lips. The tables had turned, but only for a moment.

“Oh, nothing.” He smirked, raising his eyebrows in mock innocence. “I was looking at your horse.” He took a step toward her, she gripped the reins. “He’s Belmont Jr, right?”

Tommy could’ve sworn that, for only a brief moment, a wave of disappointment washed across her face, before she nodded her head with a smile.

“Then who’s Belmont Sr?” He quipped.

“He was my first horse. I grew up with him.” She replied, albeit mournfully. She stroked Jr’s mane. “I haven’t had a horse of my own since. Malcolm surprised me with Jr today.”

“It’s tough,” Tommy began, reaching over to give Jr a few pats. “Losing your first one.”

“Yeah.” Auddie echoed softly, “I can’t imagine it gets any easier after the first either.”

“It doesn’t.” He shook his head, reaching in the pocket of his waistcoat for his cigarette case and lighter. He perched a cigarette in between his lips and held out the case to her, to which she shook her head. He spoke while lighting his cigarette.

“Did you grow up with horses?” 

“Oh, yes.” She replied, fiddling with the leather reins. “My mother loved horses. She raised my brothers and me on that same love.”

He smiled at her while exhaling clouds of smoke from his lips.

“What about you, did you grow up with horses?” She asked, turning her body to look directly at him.

Tommy chuckled, staring at the forest. “You could say that.”

He didn’t know how to explain his relationship with horses. He wasn’t sure if she’d understand that he grew up in riverside camps riding wild ponies with his siblings, so he left it as a half-truth. Yes, he grew up with horses, but certainly not in the same way she had.

He imagined her growing up in a house that was too big, a large stable in the backyard, and a fresh pick of any horse she could’ve ever dreamed of. Probably wanted for nothing, never went hungry, never had to toil away in a factory, never had to come to terms with the war. Definitely didn’t lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, waiting for the sounds of shovels digging at his wallpaper to subside.

For a moment, while brief, he felt a pang of resentment toward her. Oh, he truly felt like a schoolboy then. 

Tommy took a long look at her, while she stood there, caring for her horse with wild red hair, flushed cheeks, a too big wool coat that hung from her frame. How picturesque, the image of innocence. What would that make him, then? The black seed of blasphemy? If this was the Garden of Eden, she was the apple and he was the snake.

“Why did you come here?” He asked.

“Excuse me?”

“To the country, to London. Why did you come?”

The question clearly took her by surprise. She paused, biting on her bottom lip. He could’ve sworn he noticed the toe tips of her boots moving.

“I just wanted a change of scenery.” She replied, quietly, still toiling with her answer. “I’ve never left the US before, let alone Boston. I wanted to see what the other side of the ocean was like.”

“Well, that’s as good a reason as any.”

More silence.

“Do you work?”

“Do I work?” She echoed.

“Yes, as in, a job.”

“Oh,” She paused. “I was training to be a nurse back home. My mother was one. I worked with her a lot.”

“Are you going to be one here?”

“I’m not so sure. Maybe if I stay here for a while, I think I’d like to. I’d like to have a career of my own.” She took a deep breath, “To be honest I haven’t given it much thought yet.”

“I see.” He slowly nodded his head, flicking ash from his cigarette.

“What do you do for work?” She began, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. “I mean, I know you work with my brother, but I don’t know much other than that.”

A loaded question, he mused to himself. He imagined her response if he told her the truth, the whole truth. It dawned on him that she probably didn’t even know the half of her brother’s business with him. The seed had been planted, and it was slowly beginning to grow into a twisted, ugly lie. 

“I run the Shelby company, I work with your brother.” He took a methodical drag from his cigarette, staring into the distance. “I’ve recently been elected into Parliament. And I ride horses when the weather's good.” He cringed at the mention of Parliament, but at the very least, that part of his career had to be mentioned sooner or later.

“Oh, wow. That’s amazing.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Your family must be so proud of you.”

He blew air out of his nose if only she knew.

“Yes, I’m sure they’re very proud.” 

*******

The sun hung low in the sky, it was well into the evening now. 

“We should get going,” Tommy stated as he began walking toward Belladonna with long strides. “Don’t want your brother to get worried sick.” 

In the corner of his eye, he could see her standing there, fidgeting with a button on her coat.

“This ride,” She motioned with her hands, “It was fun. I really enjoyed it.”

He tossed the stub of his cigarette into the grass, then hoisted one foot into a stirrup and swung the other around, looking down at her again. “I did too.”

“Malcolm’s going to be jealous, he missed out on all of the fun.” She quipped, following the same motions onto Belmont Jr.

“It can be our secret,” Tommy replied, adjusting his position on the saddle. He looked at her directly, and to his surprise, she looked right back at him. It was at that moment, he knew it. He would be her ruin. 

She smiled, and it was certainly different this time. “Our secret.”

And the worst part of it was? He didn’t even care.

*******

“Where have you two _been_?!” Malcolm cried, jogging out toward the stables where Tommy and Auddie were dismounting from their horses. “I thought I was going to die of loneliness over here, I searched everywhere for you!”

Malcolm had changed out of his riding attire and into his own freshly pressed shirt and waistcoat. As he approached he pulled his scally cap from his head and twisted it into his hands.

“We rode out past the stable,” Auddie jerked her head to the direction they had come from. “Down to the tree line back there.”

“An adventure without me,” Malcolm sighed, “I’m wounded by this betrayal.”

“I’m sure you’ll live.” Auddie patted him on the shoulder as she led Belmont Jr to the stable. Tommy followed suit with Belladonna.

“We can talk more about this slight against my character over dinner.” Malcolm shook his head, clicking his tongue. “Which should be ready soon enough. Plenty of time for you both to wash up and get changed, especially you, Auddie, you smell like a horse.”

Auddie rolled her eyes, handing the reins to a stable boy. “I’d like to hear you say that to Mr. Shelby.” She glanced over her shoulder where she caught Tommy’s eye.

“Mr. Shelby smells wonderful, as always,” Malcolm replied, grinning. “I’m sure of it.”

Tommy just rolled his eyes.

Upon entering the house, they were bombarded by maids who flitted about, offering to draw baths, or tea, coffee, drinks. The list went on.

“Mr. Shelby, you’re our guest, would you like to go first?” Auddie turned her head toward him as she balanced herself against a wall, sliding off her boots.

“By all means, go ahead.” Tommy shook his head, gesturing to a maid who stood by Auddie.

“I’ll be quick, I promise!” She shrugged her coat off and tossed it onto an empty rung, before following the maid down the hall.

“Come, have a drink.” Malcolm waved Tommy into a side room.

It had an open layout, illuminated by bay windows. A sofa and twin chairs framed a large rug on the floor. Shelves covered in trinkets and books lined the walls. It was certainly cozy. While Malcolm prepared their drinks, Tommy stood by the mantle at the center of the room, the fireplace was empty, save for remnants of ash and charred logs. On the ledge above the fireplace were scattered picture frames, each one covered in a thin layer of dust. He leaned against it with one hand and picked up a picture of a family.

It showed a mother and father standing in the background, with three children sitting in the foreground. _Frasers_ , he thought. The mother was smiling, her hands on the daughter’s shoulders. _Auddie_ , he thought, blowing air out of his nostrils, smirking. She had a toothy grin, well, more like toothless, since both of her front teeth were missing. The father was tight-lipped, his hands on a dark-haired boy’s shoulders, the boy wasn’t smiling either. In the middle sat another boy, with lighter-hair, was smiling, but his eyes looked sad. _Malcolm_.

“I bet you’re thinking, _geez_ , what a good looking family.” The voice of Malcolm interrupted his thoughts. Tommy turned to him and placed the picture back on the shelf.

“Took the words right out of my mouth,” Tommy replied, taking the glass of whiskey from him. He continued leaning against the mantle, watching as Malcolm collapsed into a chair across from him.

He glanced back at the portrait while taking a sip of his drink, before turning toward Malcolm.

“Does she know about our business together?”

Malcolm tapped the side of his glass. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Tommy shook his head, scoffing. “Don’t play coy.”

Malcolm grinned in response and sat up in his seat. “She only knows the pretty side of it. And, I’d like to keep it that way.” He sipped his drink. 

“Understood,” Tommy noted, looking out the bay window this time, the sky was growing dark. “She asked about our business today. Just wanted to get my story straight.”

Malcolm hummed in response.

*******

Eventually, Auddie bounded into the room, and by that time, dinner was just about to be served.

“Famous last words: ‘I’ll be quick, I promise!’” Malcolm mocked, raising his empty glass to her. “I was just about to put up the Christmas tree.”

“Oh please.” Auddie huffed, crossing her arms. Her hair, still damp, was tucked over her shoulder in a braid. “Always so dramatic.”

She turned toward Tommy, dipping into a curtsy. “I sincerely apologize, Mr. Shelby, for taking so long.” Sarcasm laced her voice as she looked back to her brother. “Are you happy?”

“Exuberant.” Malcolm nodded his head in approval. Shaking his head, Tommy smirked and stepped out of the room to change into a fresh pair of clothes. 

In the washroom, he splashed his face with water and leaned over the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. What was he even doing here? He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He reached for the old waistcoat he had tossed on the floor and shook it until the cigarette case and lighter clattered to the floor.

Cupping his hands around the end of the cigarette as he gave his lighter a few flicks in an attempt to light it, he took a heavy inhale and stared at the ceiling. Auddie didn’t know anything. Here she was, thinking her brother was mingling with the upper class, expanding their family’s business, honest work. He wanted to laugh. She didn’t know how stained his hands were, how he used those same hands to claw from the very bottom to get to the top. To her, he was just another man. Oh, if only she knew the truth of it all. 

Tossing the lighter on the counter, he laughed at himself, the situation, his own life. He contemplated his entire day at the fucking cottage. The horses. The girl. It was so stupid.

It didn't stop him from making his way out to the dining room anyway.

*******

The three sat at the table, it was small and square, cozy even, in comparison to Malcolm’s general standards. Tommy was sitting at one end of the table, with Malcolm to his right, and Auddie directly across at the opposite end. Night had fallen, and the windows were cracked a bit to let in a cool breeze. The sounds of crickets and frogs chirping outside mingled with the scraping of forks and knives against plates.

Malcolm took control of the conversation, as always. Tommy couldn’t tell if it was horribly annoying, or, in a strange way (to him especially), endearing. 

After a few more moments, he decided it was, in fact, horribly annoying. Despite this, he continued to nod his head at everything he said, and when he would take a sip of his drink, he would glance over the rim at his glass to look at Auddie, who, of course, was looking at him too.

As dinner began to lull, and the table was being cleared, Tommy leaned back in his seat and perched a cigarette between his lips. He offered the case to Malcolm who obliged, and tossed the tin to him, followed by the lighter. The conversation bounced between business, cars, and horses until it shifted toward Auddie.

“Enough about our work,” Malcolm pointed to Auddie with his cigarette. “Have you told Mr. Shelby about your work?”

Tommy fiddled with his cigarette in between his fingers. “She mentioned something about it today.”

She had a small smile, sheepish. “I told him a bit about it.”

Malcolm turned his attention back to Tommy. “I think she’s worried she won’t be able to find work here, you know, different countries and all.”

Auddie blinked, a deadpan expression on her face. “I’m sitting right next to you. You don’t have to talk like I’m not here.”

Malcolm paused for a moment, tapping his chin with his index finger. “Did anybody hear something?”

“Idiot.” She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. Tommy smiled, eyes lazily flicking between the both of them.

“Are you worried about not finding work?” Tommy asked, bringing the cigarette to his lips.

She shook her head, “Well, no, I’m not sure. I only just got here.”

“You’re going to have to start pulling your weight around here,” Malcolm clicked his tongue, twisting his cigarette out. “Or else I’ll have to throw you out on the street.”

“Shove it.” Auddie rolled her eyes. 

Tommy flicked the ash off of his own cigarette. He could offer her a job. Yeah, he could offer her a job. The thoughts buzzed in his head. His own selfishness gnawed at his gut. The lie will get bigger, she will get ensnared in it. Subconsciously, he glanced at the palms of his hands. He saw red. He shouldn’t offer her a job. He looked at her while she bickered with her brother. He could offer her a job.

He cleared his throat and blew smoke from his mouth. “I could help you find work.”

Silence.

“What did I tell you?” Malcolm grinned, throwing his arms out. “Friends in high places.”

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Auddie’s gaze met his. 

“Mr. Shelby, that’s very kind of you.” She paused, her eyes darting away for a moment, before returning to his. “I really appreciate the help. I’m just not sure what the future holds for me here yet.”

Tommy then twisted out his own cigarette, leaving the stub in a pile of ash. “Don’t worry about it. Just know the offer is there.”

Her eyes fixated on the table, then him, then the table again.

“Thank you.”

There was more talk of business, cars, and horses until Malcolm glanced at his watch and yawned.

“It’s getting late, and we all have a long drive ahead of us.” Malcolm pushed himself up from the table. Tommy nodded his head, rising from the table as well.

The staff of the house had already packed and organized their belongings by the door. Tommy watched as Auddie shrugged on her oversized coat, and combed her hair from the braid. She tossed that same leather satchel over her shoulder and started reaching for another bag, sighing. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Malcolm speaking to the staff across the foyer.

Tommy grabbed the handle of her carry-on before she could reach it, her fingertips brushing against his knuckles. Their eyes met, and she smiled.

“Let me carry this to the car.” 

_A real gentleman_ , he thought to himself bitterly.

With his one bag in one hand and Auddie’s in the other, they slowly walked down the gravel driveway to where the cars were parked. 

He placed her bag in the backseat and took a step back, standing in front of her now. She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

Tommy waved it off and went over to his own car. He leaned into the front seat, searching through the glove box. With a tiny piece of paper in his hand, he elbowed the car door shut and made his way back over to her. 

“If you change your mind about the job.” He handed her his business card. “Call me.”

She took the tiny cardstock from him and held it tightly in between her fingers.

“Mr. Shelby, thank you.”

“Thomas.”

She looked back up at him, the hard angles and shadows of his face illuminated the moon.

“My name. Call me Thomas.”

“Thomas,” She recited, almost like it was a prayer. Or a curse. He wasn't sure yet. “Thank you.”

A few moments later, the sound of Malcolm’s footsteps crunching against the gravel tore into the silence between them.

“Well, looks like that’s everything.” He tossed his bags into the back of the car. “What a day, huh? Here’s to hoping we can have many more like this. Summer isn’t over yet.” He tipped the cap on his head to the two of them.

Tommy nodded slowly, reached for his own bag on the ground.

“Glad you could make it today.” Malcolm stepped toward Tommy extending his hand. “We didn’t get to talk much business, but the horses made up for it, yeah?”

Tommy shook his hand, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “That they did.”

Malcolm rounded the front of the car opening the door and leaning against the roof.

“Have a safe trip back, Shelby.” Malcolm waved his hand, sliding into his seat.

Tommy watched Auddie open the door to the passenger seat while delicately placing the leather satchel on the floor. He felt words turn to bile in his throat. He looked at Malcolm, grinning, Auddie, getting into the car. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t have time for a _girl_ like her. He had two kids. His work kept him busy.

As she leaned to sit in the car, he cleared his throat.

“Why don’t you two come to my house this weekend?” He could barely believe the words had left his lips.

 _Fuck it, he thought,_ grimacing internally _. Full-on schoolboy it is._

Auddie stopped short, stepping out of the car again, fully turning to face him. Malcolm leaned over the passenger seat to look at Tommy.

“Invited to your house? Why I thought you’d never ask!” He gushed, “Just give me an address and a time, I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”

Tommy rolled his eyes. The dramatics.

“How about I give you a call tomorrow?”

“I'll be eagerly waiting for it.”

He looked at Auddie now, a smile clearly on her lips.

Oh, he was a schoolboy alright. 

“Are you coming, Miss Fraser?” He asked, mimicking her question from the day prior. He wondered if she remembered.

Her grin grew at that as she slid into the passenger seat.

“I’ll have to check my schedule.” She sighed, leaning out of the car to reach for the door handle.

She remembered.

“Well, I hope you can make it.” He replied, backing up toward his car. He nodded his head toward her. “Goodnight, Miss Fraser.” He emphasized the _‘miss.’_

“Goodnight, Thomas.” She held his stare as the door shut with a click, the glass of the window separating them now.

Oh, this could only end in ruin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i got the title of this chapter from skyrim
> 
> ↓ check it out! this is what i listen to while i write hehe  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eb6C0YlPslyglBLFPs8I9?si=pldPI1R8S9OPEB_tH3qbKQ


	7. A Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoy!!

“ **WAIT** ? Did you just call him Thomas?”

Auddie blushed, staring out the window as they pulled out of the gravel driveway, gravel crunching underneath the wheels.

“No, seriously, you have to answer me.”

She cradled her satchel on her lap, fiddling with the buckles on it. She kept her eyes glued to the window, watching as Thomas pulled his own car onto the dirt road behind them. 

“Hello, Auddie, it’s Malcolm, that’s me in case you forgot, your brother is speaking.” He began snapping his fingers next to her ear. 

“Yes,” she turned away from the window, glancing at him for a moment, butterflies in her stomach. “I called him Thomas.”

Malcolm was dumbfounded. “You can call him Thomas, but  _ I  _ have to call him Mr. Shelby, or sometimes just Shelby at best?”

Auddie shrugged, tucking the satchel in between her ankles and wrapping her coat tighter around her body. “I suppose so.”

“This is completely unfair.” He groaned, his eyes darting back and forth from her and the road. “When did that happen? When did you get all chummy?”

She yawned, resting her head against the glass of the window. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she looked in the rearview mirror to see Thomas’s car driving behind them in the distance.

“We got to know each other today. I’d hardly call it chummy.” She shut her eyes, waving a hand toward him. “Can we talk about it more tomorrow? I’m exhausted.”  
  


*******

Auddie woke up tangled in her sheets the following morning. She tossed an arm over her eyes, desperately trying to shield herself from the rays of sunlight that trickled through the window. Her hair was still damp when she went to bed, and by the time her head left the pillow, she was done for. She attempted to comb through the mess with her fingers but instead was met with a knot, after knot, after knot. 

_ Ah, it’s going to be one of those days.  _ She thought, frowning.

Sitting up in her bed, she stretched her arms high above her head and stared at the room around her. She did a better job of cleaning it up the other day, it didn’t look like a pit of odds and ends anymore, like when she first arrived. Instead, it was now a  _ tasteful _ pit of odds and ends. 

Glancing at her bedside table, she noticed a perfectly balanced tray of coffee and toast. One of the maids, Mary presumably, must’ve snuck in and left it here. Steam still rose from the mug, it had to have been recently left there. Leaning over to the table she grabbed the ceramic handle and took a long sip, flinching when it burned her tongue a bit. She sighed, propping her pillows up on the headboard and sinking into them. What time did they even get home last night?

Last night. Yesterday. She smiled to herself. Maybe Mr. Shelby, Thomas, wasn’t so bad. Still smug, still cold, but not so bad. She sipped her coffee.

She noticed her wool coat hanging from the right banister at the foot of her bed— the business card. Her heart skipped a beat, and she inwardly groaned at herself. Placing her mug back on the tray, she crawled over toward the banister and pulled the coat up to her pillows with her.

Auddie shoved her hands into each pocket, desperately trying to find it. When she did eventually fish it out, she noticed it had crumpled during her journey home, a minor frustration, but she could still read it all the same. 

She was curious about him- Mr. Shelby. Thomas. His name was Thomas. 

She wouldn’t lie to herself about it, she couldn’t lie to herself about it. She brushed her fingers across the cardstock and sighed. This was stupid. Sitting in bed like a lovesick teenager stroking a  _ business card _ of all things. She wanted to throw up.

Stuffing it back into the coat pocket, she tossed it back onto the banister and swung her legs out of bed. 

The first order of business, rearranging her hair. If she was going to Thomas’s home this weekend, maybe she’d ask Mary for help with finger waves. She froze mid-thought, staring at herself in the mirror. Shaking her head, she started to drag the brush through her hair. No, finger waves for him were stupid. He was smug and cold. She kept repeating those words in her head. 

But he was funny, sometimes. She liked the way he looked at her. He offered to help her find a job. She, a stranger. She sighed, angrily this time.

No, he was stupid and old and she would do her hair like regular this weekend.

But maybe, she would bring that new dress she bought to change into after riding horses.

*******

Auddie managed to brush most of the knots out of her hair, taming it a little. She pinned a few strands behind her ear to compensate for it. She opted for a blouse and loose pants today, seeing as she didn’t have much planned, other than moping around about a stupid old man.

God, and how stupid was it for her to say ‘ _ I’ll have to check my schedule _ ’ to him? It wasn’t clever, or witty, or charming, she just got here, she had nothing going on. Stupid stupid stupid stupid.

She rounded the bottom of the staircase and smiled at a few maids that passed her by. Why did her brother have so many? It didn’t make sense for  _ one _ person to have so many. They didn’t have more than two or three growing up back home. On her way down the hall, she bumped into something, or better yet, someone.

“Are you attacking me? In my own home?”

Looking up, it was no one other than Malcolm, gasping and covering his mouth with his hands. Always with the dramatics.

She stuck her tongue out, elbowing him in the stomach lightly. “Oh please. If I was going to attack you I’d make sure I got all of your money and earthly possessions in the will first.”

He gasped again. “Cold! You’re a cold and evil witch!” 

Auddie grinned and then burst out laughing. Ridiculous.

She slid in between him and the wall, continuing through the hallway.

“And where do you think you’re going!” He called, following her. 

She smiled to herself and quickly turned into the living room.

“Speaking of cold,” He began, clearing his throat. Oh, she knew where this was going. “Mr. Shelby. Why did you call him Thomas? What’s going on? Did you put an evil redhead curse on him? I know you’re capable of it.”

She shrugged, stifling a laugh. “You got me, I cursed your boss.”

“I knew it, a witch.”

Malcolm collapsed onto a chair while Auddie sat on the ledge of the bay window, resting her head on the glass.

“But seriously,” He continued, propping his elbows on his knees. “When did that sense of familiarity and comradery happen between you two? How can I get in on this?”

“It just happened.” Auddie paused, replaying the events of the day before in her head. “We spent a lot of time together riding, while you were off playing business.”

Malcolm rubbed his chin, humming. “Maybe you’re my lucky charm then. Who knew it took pretty hair and googly eyes to get on his good side.”

“Oh please.” She waved him off with a groan, drawing her knees up to her chest. “It’s not like that, jerk.”

Malcolm, quite literally, started cackling with laughter. He obviously hit a nerve and was now reaping the rewards from it. He stood from the chair and ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m kidding,” he held his hands up. “I’m just teasing.”

Auddie rolled her eyes. “You better be, you’re a slime.”

“Good comeback.” He pointed finger guns at her, before approaching the window and wrapping her into a hug. “I’m just kidding, we’re roommates now, we can’t fight.”

She leaned into the hug and sighed, “Yeah, yeah whatever. Just be jealous your boss likes me better. Who has the hilarious wit now?”

“Touché.” He pulled away with a wink, holding a fist in the air. “But I will prevail.” 

“You can try, but just remember who has the pretty hair and googly eyes here.”

“Come on, my hair is red-ish.” He placed his hands on his head. “Maybe not as red as yours, sure, but red enough. It's very pretty.”

“Not pretty enough I guess.” She shrugged, fighting the smirk that appeared on her lips.

The mock hurt on Malcolm’s face quickly melted away into laughter, the two of them grinning wildly.

“Anyway,” He sighed, waving her off. “I have a few meetings today, so I’ll be in and out of the house for a while. Are you okay staying here by yourself?”

“I think I’ll be fine.” She smiled, “With your battalion of butlers and maids on hand, how could I ever be lonely or in danger?”

“Good point. You were always tactful.” Malcolm winked at her. “I’ll be home for dinner, though. I wouldn’t want you to miss me too much.”

“You are so very thoughtful,” she replied with an eye roll.

“It’s a curse being this kind.” He sighed, wistfully looking out the window. “Well, with all of that out of the way, I’m off. I left my office number on the desk for you, in case you need anything.”

He turned on his heel toward the door. As he crossed the threshold, he stopped himself with the doorframe and glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, and if Mr. Shelby calls, I told the maids you can take the phone. I’m not sure if he’ll call my home office or my actual work office-office.”

Auddie raised her hands in defense. “Don’t worry, I won’t curse him over the phone.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He mock-saluted her and stepped into the hallway. “You’re an angel.”

*******

After Malcolm left, the day rolled by… slowly. Agonizingly slowly. Auddie spent most of her time in her bedroom, flipping through books she had read a thousand times before, and staring at her journal. 

At some point, she had taken the Shelby business card out of her coat pocket and tucked it into her journal, so now, it was a staring contest. 

She was embarrassed that she was staring at a piece of paper. A tiny rectangle. It just said his name on it, his plethora of titles, address, and a phone number. So stupid. 

She groaned and rolled onto her back, glaring at the ceiling. Why did it make her so mad? 

When she first came here, oh, I don’t know, three days ago, she wasn’t sure if she wanted a job. She wasn’t sure if she was staying for more than the summer. But now? She was about two drinks away from dialing Thomas and inquiring about a job.

It. Was. Stupid.

She squeezed her eyelids shut during her staring contest with the ceiling and eventually, she fell asleep.

The sound of tapping against her door jolted her awake, the sudden movement causing a few books to fall to the floor. 

“Come in!” She said, a little too loudly. She attempted to smooth out her blouse as the door opened, revealing no one other than Mary. “Hi, I’m so sorry. I must’ve fallen asleep.”

The older woman smiled, nodding her head. “There’s a call for your brother in his office downstairs.”

Auddie’s heart thumped in her chest. 

“Oh, who is it?” 

“It's Mr. Fraser’s business associate, Mr. Shelby, he’s asking for him.” She cleared her throat. “But Mr. Fraser said you could take the call, in case he wasn’t here.”

“Oh.” Auddie scooped all of her hair over one shoulder. “Yes, I can, uh, take it. I’ll be right down. Thank you!”

She waited for Mary to close the door before she hopped off of the bed, quickly tossing all of the books that fell back onto the bed. Oh, this was going to be stupid. Mary waited outside in the hallway for her and led her to her brother’s office.

“Right in here Miss Fraser.” Mary held open the door for her, smiling.

“Thank you.” Auddie nodded her head a little too quickly while stepping into the office. Mary shut the door behind her.

It was large and ornate, much like the rest of Malcolm’s apartment, perhaps even a little gaudy. The desk was positioned in the center of the room, covered in a spread of papers and pens. Twin chairs were placed in front of the desk, which were covered in folders and papers as well, to Auddie’s surprise. Behind the desk were several bookshelves, each one in perfect condition, no doubt for display only, she knew Malcolm rarely read. Windows were on the right wall, with a cloudy afternoon view of the city. Her eyes darted back to the desk, and then there it was. The phone.

She slumped into Malcolm’s leather chair that was far too big for her. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the phone and spoke into the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Ah, Miss Fraser.” A familiar voice,  _ his _ voice, answered.

She frowned, heart thumping. “I thought you were going to call me Auddie.”

She desperately wanted to sound witty, or interesting, or charming. Anything.

“Forgive me.” He paused. “Force of habit.”

“Hm, I’m not sure you know me well enough for it to be a habit.”

She could’ve sworn she heard him chuckle. “Suppose I don’t.”

There was a brief moment of silence before she heard him inhaling deeply on the other end. Smoking a cigarette, she figured.

“Well, Auddie,” Thomas emphasized her name, it made her fidget in the chair. “I was calling for your brother, but it seems that he’s out today.”

“Yes,” she replied, leaning on the desk with her elbows.

“And someone told me that you were supposed to take my call?”

“Yes,” she paused for a moment, tracing random shapes on the desk with her fingertips. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No, no, not a problem at all.” He continued, sucking in a breath. “Do you have a pen? Paper?”

“Uh,” Auddie scrambled to tear off a random piece of paper that was on Malcolm’s desk, praying that it wasn’t important. Grabbing a random pen, she tossed the cap across the table. “Yes, I do now.”

“Good, good.” He was talking slower, pausing on each word. It sent a chill running down the length of her spine.“Come by on Saturday morning, ten o’clock. Listen very carefully, these are the directions to my house.”

Her heart thumped in her chest, as she nodded to herself, alone in her brother’s office. She scribbled down each word he spoke, her face flushing.  _ Blushing over directions,  _ she thought to herself.  _ So stupid. _

“Now, do you have that all down?” He asked.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Good.” He inhaled, “Are you coming on Saturday? Or is your schedule filled?”

She stifled a laugh, leaning forward on the desk. “Let me check.” She shuffled through random scraps of paper that were spread across the desk. 

“Oh, it sounds like you have a lot to go through.” He quipped.

“Yes,” She sighed dramatically. “I’ve been really busy these past few, oh, I don’t know, three days.”

“Wow, it must be hard.”

“Extremely.” She continued, dragging out the word. “And now you expect me to come ride horses this Saturday.”

“It’s quite the tall order.” He replied, the sound of a chair creaking filled the other end of the line. Was he leaning back in his chair?

“Extremely.” She kept shuffling the papers.

“Well,” he began, “Can I tell you something? A secret, to sweeten the deal?”

She stopped flipping, heart racing. “I could be convinced.”

“Alright,” he sighed, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice. “Behind my house, is a forest. Cedar, spruce trees and the like.” He paused for a brief moment. “I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.”

“I’m listening.” Auddie tapped the pen on the corner of her desk, biting her bottom lip.

“In that forest, are a few trails. Perfect for horseback riding.”

“Really now?” She started slowly flipping through the papers again.

“I thought that, now, forgive me if I’m wrong,” he emphasized each word, almost deliberately, “I thought that you enjoyed forest rides?” 

Thomas paused, then cleared his throat and began speaking again.

“Am I wrong?”

“You must have a very reliable source.” She nodded her head, crossing one leg over the other. “You are correct.”

“Well, would you look at that?” He mused. She could almost picture him smiling. “So, does it sweeten the deal?”

Auddie sighed into the phone, smoothing out the papers with her free hand now.

She continued, tapping a fingertip on a random piece of paper. “Well, I moved some appointments around. It looks like I can come on Saturday.”

“Huh. Aren’t I lucky?” He grinned.

“Incredibly lucky. I don’t do this for many people, especially in these circumstances.”

“Oh, I didn’t think so.” He inhaled again, clicking his tongue.

“Saturday, 10 o’clock.” She repeated, then reciting the directions once again.

“Right on the mark.” He quipped.

Auddie paused, bringing her thumb to her lips and biting on her nail. “I’ll see you then, Thomas.”

“I look forward to it, Auddie.” He paused. “And call me Tommy.”

The call ended with a click.

Auddie slumped into the chair, rubbing her temples. Fuck. What had she gotten herself into?

*******

Malcolm trudged through the door later that evening. At the sound of the front door opening, Auddie quickly went down the stairs to greet him. To be honest, she had been lonely all day, and her phone call with Thomas,  _ Tommy _ , had left her reeling. If anyone could get her mind off of that conversation, it was Malcolm.

“Welcome home.” Auddie smiled, dragging her fingertips against the stair railing. She watched Malcolm loosen his tie and kick his shoes off. He looked tired. Incredibly tired. 

“Are you okay?” She stopped three steps from the ground floor, eyebrows furrowing in concern.

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Oh yes, yes.” He dropped his briefcase on the floor. “It was just a long day. Too long.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She padded down the remaining steps. 

He shook his head, shrugging his suit jacket off and tossing it onto an empty rung of the coat rack. “No, no. It was fine. I just want a drink.” He motioned for her to follow him. “Maybe two. Or three. Seventy-eight drinks sound good. Join me?”

“Why not?” She smiled, trailing behind him. “I have nowhere to be tomorrow.”

*******

They were already a few drinks in by dinner. Malcolm was slumped in his seat, cradling a glass of red wine. Auddie sat beside him, her face flushed and eyelids heavy.

“So.” She began, taking a sip of wine. “What exactly happened to you today?”

Malcolm groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Don’t remind me.”

“Was it that bad?” She replied, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. 

He shrugged, swigging his entire drink in one motion.

“There’s just a lot on my plate.” He immediately poured more wine into his glass, filling it to the brim, and raising his eyebrows in the process. “Too much on my plate.” He held the glass up to eye level and inspected it for a moment, before nodding in satisfaction and taking a sip.

Auddie wasn’t entirely sure what he meant. She understood what his work involved, they were in the same family business after all, but she wasn’t sure what his day to day meetings entailed. It never occurred to her to ask about them. The wine made her mind hazy.

“What do you mean?” She continued, leaning on her elbows. “You can tell me. I’m your sister, I’m here to listen.”

He smiled, raising his glass to her. He straightened in his chair, shaking his head slowly. “I have bad news.”

She crossed one leg over the other and wiggled her toes- a force of habit. “What kind of bad news?”

He sighed, placing his glass on the table. “I have to go back to Boston.”

Auddie blinked at him, eyes wide. “You have to go home?”

“Yes.” He groaned, rubbing his temples. “I’m not happy about it. But it has to be done.”

“When do you have to leave?”

Malcolm leaned on the table with his elbows. “I have a ticket for Friday morning.”

“Friday?” Auddie echoed, “As in tomorrow morning?”

He nodded his head. “My hands are tied.”

Anxiety gnawed at her stomach. Malcolm had to go home? When she just got there? Her thoughts trickled down into a darker, selfish place. Would she have to go home too? She really didn’t want to, she just got there. She had things to… look forward to. A sharp pang of guilt shot through her chest. God, how could she think like that?

Another question popped into her head.

“Are you going to see Douglas?”

Malcolm shook his head vigorously. “Oh  _ fuck _ no.” He raised his hands in front of him. “No no no no no.”

“Does he know you’re going home?”

“Absolutely not.” Malcolm dragged a finger across his throat and mimicked a choking sound. “There have been some hiccups with my work here, the less he knows, the better.”

Auddie knew he was being sarcastic, of course, the immediate wink he gave her after his sudden death performance proved that. Douglas was rough around the edges, but he wouldn’t be irrationally angry at Malcolm for whatever it was that was going on with his own work.

“Why do you have to go?”

He paused for a few moments, taking a sip of his wine.

“It’s complicated.” He sighed. “Just some exporting and importing issues on my end. I thought about sending someone in my stead, but it has to be me. I need to go and, literally, take stock.”

“Is everything okay?” 

Malcolm’s gaze softened at her, a small smile on his lips. “Of course. Like I said, just a minor hiccup.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“That’s the other thing.” With a groan, he rested his forehead on his hands. “You can’t come-- and I feel terrible about it since you just got here and I’m leaving to go back from where you came.” He stopped speaking, raising an eyebrow. “Unless you want to go back home?”

Auddie’s heartbeat rang in her ears. She didn’t want to go home for a multitude of reasons. One, it took her ages to unpack and clean her room. She was really proud of how neat (ish) it had become. Two, the boat ride was a nightmare. Three, she just got here a few days ago. Four, well, this one was just silly, she was looking forward to Saturday.

She reached across the table and placed her hand over his.

“Mal, don’t worry about me.” She smiled. “I’ll be fine here. I’ll miss you, but it will be fine.”

“Just terrible timing.” He shook his head. “We had such a fun weekend planned too. Mr. Shelby called me earlier today about Saturday, and I told him we couldn’t go.”

Auddie blinked, incredulous. Why did Thomas,  _ Tommy, _ call him? Better yet, why did he call her?

“When did he call you?” She asked, clasping her hands together.

“This morning, right as I arrived at my work office, actually.” He replied, before tilting his head toward her. “Why do you ask?”

She took a swig of her wine. “He called the house today this afternoon. I spoke to him about this weekend.”

“He called here?” He repeated, leaning in his seat. “He talked to you?”

Auddie nodded.

Malcolm held her stare for a moment, standing from the table and finishing his drink.

“Let me get this straight. Mr. Shelby spoke to you about this weekend, after I told him we couldn’t go?”

“I guess so.” She shrugged, wiggling her toes. "He didn't mention your call."

“Huh.” He stepped away from the table, his back facing her. She heard him laugh. “Are you going?”

Auddie wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “Well, I mean. I was planning on it.”

Malcolm turned back to her, rubbing his chin and shaking his head. 

“Do you want to go?”

Now she really wasn’t sure what he was getting at.

“Yes.” She started to feel unsure of herself. What was  _ he _ getting at?

“His house is out in the countryside. It’ll be a long trip.” Malcolm continued, sitting back at the table. “I’ll have to arrange a car for you. What time are you supposed to be there?”

“Saturday morning, 10 o’clock.” She replied, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Alright. I’ll get that figured out tonight.” He nodded his head. “We can talk more about it tomorrow before I go.”


	8. A Forest

**IT** was late. Tommy was alone in his office in Birmingham, leaning back into his chair, cigarette dangling from his fingertips. Folders were perfectly stacked and in labeled sections on his desk. The room was silent, save for the ticking of a clock, until the phone rang. He had a sneaking suspicion of who it was, and why they were calling. 

Bringing the cigarette to his lips he exhaled a puff of smoke and reached for the phone, holding it to his ear and resuming his lounging position.

“Hello, Thomas Shelby.” He answered.

“Hi, Mr. Shelby, it’s Malcolm. Malcolm Fraser.” 

_ Right on target,  _ Tommy thought, as he inhaled from the cigarette.

“Mr. Fraser, good evening.” He leaned forward onto the desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

There was only silence on the other end.

“I’ll cut to the chase and save us both from dancing around the subject. Why did you call my sister?”

_ Right again.  _

“I didn’t call your sister. I called your home.”

“But you spoke to my sister.”

“That I did.” Tommy nodded his head, taking off his glasses and placing them on top of a precarious pile of folders.

“You spoke to her about this weekend, when I told you, apparently only a few hours before, that we couldn’t make it.”

“If we are going to argue specifics,” Tommy sighed into the receiver. “You said that  _ you _ couldn’t come, you didn’t say that  _ she _ couldn’t come.”

“I think I covered that under ‘ _ we _ .’”

“I wanted to hear from her myself.”

“Listen, Mr. Shelby,  _ Thomas _ ,” Malcolm said into the phone, emphasizing his name. “I’m going to Boston, tomorrow, to figure out the crate issue. Due to the nature of the situation, and our arrangement, I have to leave her here.”

“I’m well aware.” 

“I don’t like you sneaking around and talking to my sister behind my back.”

“Last I checked,” Tommy cleared his throat. “Your sister, let’s just say her name, eh? Auddie is a grown woman, who is perfectly capable of making her own choices.”

Silence on the other end, Tommy took it as a cue to continue speaking.

“And I’d reckon, she doesn’t need her brother micromanaging her life, and making decisions for her. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Malcolm sucked in a deep breath.

“I thought so.” Tommy continued, “With that being said, Malcolm,  _ Mr _ . Fraser, I was just being friendly, inviting her along Saturday anyway. Would you rather her alone in that big house of yours, or in the company of a trusted associate?”

Malcolm laughed, bitterly. “I don’t think I can answer that.”

“Well, that’s too bad.”

“Listen,” Malcolm interrupted. “You have a very specific line of work. I’m aware of it, we’ve worked together for over a year now, it’s been successful.” He stopped talking, waiting for Tommy’s response before continuing.

Tommy hummed in agreement.

“Let’s just call it what it is? You’re a gangster. You have a very specific line of work, that’s very dangerous, not to mention  _ illegal _ . Yes, my sister is grown. She’s smart, she has a good head on her shoulders.” Malcolm paused, taking another deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is, she has a life ahead of her. I don’t want her getting mixed up in the wrong business, in the wrong place, with the wrong people.”

“I completely understand.”

“She’s capable of making her own decisions. She’s known you for only a few days. I don’t want her getting hurt.” Malcolm replied. “Our arrangement has been successful. I know what you are. She’s not a part of it.”

“Weren’t you singing a different tune about it yesterday?” Tommy balanced the phone between his ear and shoulder as he leaned across the desk to flick excess ash off of the cigarette. “It went a little something like me offering to help her with a job, you saying something along the lines of ‘friends in high places.’ I wasn’t aware you were so picky about it.”

Tommy knew Malcolm was right. If the circumstances were different, perhaps he’d agree with him. At the core of his being he knew it was wrong, meddling with a new girl’s life and dragging her into the pits with him.

He could easily pick up the phone, call her right now, and tell her Saturday was off. In fact, it would be even better to have one of his secretaries do it tomorrow. If she ever called inquiring about a job, he could throw her a bone, give her a recommendation to work somewhere far, far from him. He’d only deal with Malcolm Fraser and Malcolm Fraser alone after that. Wipe his hands clean, never see her again. Ah, but did Thomas Shelby ever follow the morally just route when it came to women? 

“Listen Thomas. I appreciate the offer to help her, but I’m begging here. Whatever your intentions are, whatever you think about her, please, please just leave her alone.”

“My only intentions are to help a good associate’s family member who is in a new city. That’s all.”

Malcolm groaned into the phone. 

“Well.” Malcolm sighed, feeling defeated no doubt.“I’m going to Boston tomorrow morning. I’ll give you a call when I get there.”

“Excellent.”

There was a brief moment of silence.

“Please just listen to what I said. Think it over.”

“I always do, Malcolm,” Tommy replied. “Have a safe trip. I’ll talk to you when you get there.”

Tommy hung up the phone with a click. He leaned back into his seat. It was just him, and the ticking of the clock now.

*******

His days following the Fraser's cottage visit were a blur. Thursday morning was spent in London, with Parliament. The afternoon was spent quelling Polly’s nerves regarding the fucking crate, and the evening was scribbling through mounds, and mounds, of paperwork. He had Malcolm’s phone call that evening too, how could he forget that?

Friday was equally as mundane, balancing paperwork and meetings. With one exception being his journey to the docks to watch Malcolm depart on the ship bound for Boston that morning. Tommy stood in the background, cap low on his brow. He easily blended in amongst the hundreds of people flitting about the docks. He caught the end of their goodbyes, Auddie and Malcolm standing together before the latter climbed up the ramp onto the ship.

And just like that, it was Saturday. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. He knew Malcolm arranged a car for Auddie’s trip and not much else. Charlie was staying with Ada and Karl in the city that weekend, so it was just him, the horses, and his own army of maids.

The weather was exceptionally gloomy that morning, the clouds looked as if they were ready to burst with rain at any moment. One step outside and Tommy could feel the humidity pressing against his skin. It was uncomfortable to wear even his regular attire, of a button-up shirt, waistcoat, and slacks. Perhaps it was not the best day to spend outside, let alone ride horses.

Tommy stood in the window of his office when a car pulled into the gravel driveway. There were moments, albeit brief, where he felt shreds of guilt. He felt poorly for Malcolm, but apparently not poorly enough. He had his own wants, which took precedence over any moral obligation he felt for his business associate. 

He watched as Auddie stepped out and stood at the foot of the drive. She stared at the house for a moment, adjusting the cap on her head with her free hand, the other was clutching her carryon. She even had the damned satchel over her shoulder too.

He met her halfway down the driveway, gravel crunching underneath his boots. 

“Good morning, Miss Fraser.” He tipped his cap to her and the man who trailed behind her.

“Good morning.” Auddie smiled back, she didn’t even try to hide it this time. “Since I’m your guest today, I’ll forgive the use of ‘Miss Fraser’ for now.”

“You’re very kind,” Tommy replied, then turning to the man behind her. “Is this your driver?”

Auddie glanced over to the man behind her, nodding her head. “Yes, excuse my manners, I should’ve introduced him sooner. This is Mr. Hale.” She motioned in between them, “and this is Mr. Shelby.”

Tommy shook his hand, all smiles of course, while briefly discussing the drive with him. 

“Are you waiting here all day to bring her home?”

Mr. Hale nodded, taking the cap off of his head and clutching it in front of him. “Mr. Fraser instructed me to do so.”

“Ah,” Tommy noted, glancing in between the man and Auddie. “It might be a long day.”

“It’s no issue. It’s my job.”

“If it’s all the same to you, Auddie.” Tommy turned to her, “I can arrange a car home for you this evening. In the interest of saving Mr. Hale here from a day of boredom.”

She blinked, speechless for a moment. “I mean if it isn’t too much trouble? I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality.”

Tommy waved a hand. “Think nothing of it.”

Mr. Hale’s eyes darted in between the two of them. “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Shelby. But Mr. Fraser specifically hired me to take Miss Fraser to and from your home.”

_ Of course. _

“I’m sure he did.” Tommy gave him a strained smile. “Please, I insist on taking care of her car home.”

Before Mr. Hale could argue any further, Tommy took a step toward him and reached for his wallet, handing the man a few sterlings. “For the trouble of driving here, and any trouble Malcolm might give you, eh?”

“Well, I,” Mr. Hale blinked, incredulous, and quickly placed his cap back on his head. He nodded toward Auddie and shoved the sterlings into his back pocket. “I can see Miss Fraser is in excellent hands. Thank you, Mr. Shelby.”

Mr. Hale scurried down the driveway, and within minutes, was in the car driving back onto the dirt road and far away from the property.

Tommy glanced at Auddie out of the corner of his eye. She was blushing.  _ She catches on quickly. _

“Let's get your bags inside and take a look at some horses, yeah?”

Auddie nodded her head vigorously. “I thought you’d never ask.”

*******

“Thank you again, for having me today.” Auddie grinned, looking up at him as they trudged toward the stables.

“Of course. Glad to have you here.” He replied with a curt nod, eyes focused on the stable ahead. “It’s a shame Malcolm couldn’t make it.”

“Yes.” She sighed, “I know he really wanted to come.”

Tommy smiled inwardly, with a tiny smirk growing on his lips.  _ He did. _

As they neared the doorway of the stable, a few of his workers tipped their hats and muttered a quick greeting to Tommy as they passed by.

Auddie had taken her own cap off and tucked it under her arm as soon as they entered, gawking at each horse. 

“Which one is yours?” She asked as she walked down the line of stalls.

Tommy approached a tall dark horse and motioned to him with a jut of his chin.

“He looks like a larger version of Belmont Jr.” She smiled, stroking the horse’s forehead.

“You should bring Jr here sometime,” Tommy replied, leaning against the stall. His eyes fixated on the profile of her face as she cooed at the horse. She glanced at him from over her shoulder, smiling.

“I’d love to bring Belmont Jr here.”

“I’m sure we could arrange something.” He knocked his knuckles against the wood a few times and stood up. “Which horse are you looking to ride?”

“You have so many. It would take me all day if you let me pick.” She shook her head, laughing a bit. “Any recommendations?”

Tommy smirked, nodding his head, gesturing for her to follow him. 

“This one is no Belmont Jr,” He stopped a few stalls down in front of a red roan, patting the horse's shoulder with each word. “But she can jump.”

“Are we going to be jumping today?”

“If we’re riding in the forest, we’ll need horses that can jump.”

She blinked, a wide grin appearing on her lips. “I didn’t think you were actually serious about riding in the forest all day.”

“Auddie,” He took a step toward her, looking at her from under the brim of his cap. “I’m serious about everything I do.”

*******

Side by side, they trotted across the cresting green hills toward the tree line far past the stables. Auddie was grinning, madly, with a tight grip on the leather reins. She rode the red roan, who she had nicknamed “Rabbit,” in hopes that the horse truly was as excellent a jumper as Tommy promised. Tommy, like always, was on his own black horse.

“Why do you like forest riding so much?” He asked as they crossed the threshold into the forest. The chirps of birds growing louder the further they rode in.

“Would you like the long or short answer?” She quipped, adjusting herself in the saddle to look at him.

“Long, of course.”

“Good choice.” She grinned. “But both versions would’ve been long anyway, so you’re in luck.”

He waved a hand at her, “I’m all ears.”

“For starters,” She gestured wildly all around her. “Look at the scenery. Jumping over logs and rocks is so much fun. And even if you ride in the same forest everyday, you’ll always find something new.”

She glanced at him quickly, face flushed, probably feeling horribly vulnerable at her gushing about the woods of all places. He nodded for her to keep going.

Auddie cleared her throat, turning her gaze forward to the overgrown trail ahead of her. “If you ride in the forest in the summer versus the winter, it's a completely different experience. Riding during the first snowfall? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Or finding mushrooms in the fall. Catching a glimpse of baby deer in the spring, it's so beautiful.”

Tommy smiled as she stared ahead. He enjoyed watching her talk about this.

“You didn't mention summer.” 

“Let's see, summer.” She sighed, pulling her braid over her shoulder. “The days are longer, so you can spend more time riding. The fireflies at night are beautiful. But they’re the only bugs I will tolerate during this season.”

“Not a fan of bugs?”

She shook her head, vigorously. “Absolutely not.”

“You said you were a nurse, you must have seen some pretty gruesome injuries. But you draw the line at bugs?”

“There’s a difference between shoving someone’s guts back in them and a spider creeping around.”

Tommy couldn’t help but laugh, he had yet to hear her speak like that before. “Not so shy anymore when it comes to bugs?”

“In my defense.” She raised her chin a bit, straightening her posture. “Malcolm would constantly hide bugs in my room as a child. It was horrific, to say the least.”

He could picture it perfectly in his head. Wonderfully ridiculous.

“I don’t know how you survived.”

She sighed dramatically, winking at him. “It must be my sheer will of steel.”

“It must be.” Tommy hummed, looking forward.

They rode through the forest, hooves splashing through creeks and galloping into jumps over rocks. The sky was still gray above, and as the day ticked on, the clouds grew darker. Tommy would glance up at it every now and then. To Auddie’s joy, Rabbit was an excellent jumper after all. 

How did Tommy know this? Well, after every jump, even if it was over the tiniest log, Auddie would turn to look at him every time and say “Did you see that?” Painfully endearing, and ridiculous.

She was much more talkative this time around. No more dancing around questions, or simple polite answers for that matter. He could tell she was invigorated by the forest, the horses, her surroundings. There were a few times she would bring Rabbit to a sudden halt, and hop off of the saddle to point out a mushroom that she swore she had only seen once or twice before in her whole life. He couldn’t understand why she was so afraid of bugs but was happy to dig her hands in the dirt to transport a random mushroom back with her. He liked it. By the end of their trip, Tommy had taken some mushrooms for her too, and a few fiddleheads.

“Listen, hear me out.” She began as she squatted by a stream, rinsing off a fiddlehead in the water. “We can cook these, and they will be absolutely delicious. I should’ve brought a bag.”

Tommy was incredulous, he almost couldn’t believe this was the same girl that he had caught staring at him a few days prior. It was like she had no more constraints, no more confinement.  _ No more confinement,  _ Tommy thought to himself.

“Do you always come back from forest rides with pockets full of dirt?”

“Only the good ones.” She winked at him, blushing a bit. “I’m sure you weren’t expecting to fill your pockets with dirt today. Thank you for humoring me.”

“It's my pleasure.” He mused. “I thought this coat could’ve used more dirt anyway.”

She smirked. “It suits you.”

He stared at her, really stared at her. He started with her eyes, gray with flecks of blue. They were steely, like her brother’s but softer almost. He couldn’t explain it. There was her hair in a braid today, but the weather was humid enough that a few strands came wildly undone. Her blouse, pants, and boots were caked with dirt, and there she was, Auddie, smiling about it. Auddie.

Tommy also noticed that she had smeared dirt on her cheek, and, almost instinctively, reached to wipe it away with his thumb. Shaking his head, he flexed his hand, he was close enough to do it, too. He wondered what she would think. He couldn’t even hide his hand in his pocket at this point, because there were too many fiddleheads in there.

She noticed his staring and brought a hand to her cheek. “Oh no, is there dirt on my face?”

He smiled, stifling a laugh. “Yes.” The dirt on her clothes didn’t get to her, but the dirt on her face? That is where she drew the line.

“How embarrassing.” She grumbled, “First I force my gracious host to shove dirt in his pockets, and now I have it all over my face.”

“If the dirt suits me, it suits you too.”

“I just need to shove some twigs in my hair and then I’ll be a true forest-woman.” She smiled, kneeling to the stream. “I’ll become a forest-woman cursed to roam in the woods behind your home for all of eternity. Collecting mushrooms and fiddleheads when the weather's good.”

“Doesn’t sound like a bad life to me.” He hummed. 

As Auddie began washing her face by the stream, a clap of thunder shook the forest. They both shot their eyes up toward the sky, the clouds so dark and gray it almost looked like a starless, night sky. A few moments later, the rain started pouring down.

“Looks like I don’t have to wash my face anymore, the sky is doing it for me.”

As Auddie climbed atop her horse, Tommy stood beside her, shrugging off his jacket and handing it to her. 

“No, what about you? You’ll get soaked.” Auddie frowned, gripping the reins.

Tommy shook his head, running a hand through his now sopping hair. So much for wearing a cap. “It’s too late for that. Plus there is precious cargo in there. Let’s just get home.” 

*******

By the time they had settled their horses in the stable and entered Tommy’s house, they were both completely soaked. With each step that they took, their socks and boots squished together, leaving a trail of mud wherever they went. They stood in the foyer, staring at each other in silence until Auddie started to burst out into laughter. Tommy smiled.

“When I woke up this morning.” Tommy began, unbuttoning his waistcoat. “I didn’t imagine myself carrying mushrooms, and what were they? Fiddle-something?”

“Fiddleheads,” Auddie replied, untying her braid and combing her fingers through her hair. She patted the pockets of Tommy’s coat that she wore. It was comically large on her.

“Fiddleheads, right.” Tommy shook his head, “How could I have forgotten?”

“Once we cook them, I swear it will be worth it.” Auddie blushed. 

An older maid came around the corner, gasping at the sight of them.

“Frances,” Tommy cleared his throat, stepping out of his shoes and dropping the waistcoat to the floor. He was only in his white button-up shirt now. “Would you draw a bath for our guest?” He rolled the sleeves up to his elbows.

She quickly nodded her head, turning out of the room and back from where she came.

He turned to her, motioning to the door of his office with a jerk of his head. “Drink?”

Auddie smiled with a sniffle, placing her own boots beside his. 

*******

After ditching Malcolm’s driver, Tommy had planned to drive her home himself. That was until mother nature had decided to unleash a thunderstorm upon them that rattled the very heavens. He stood in his office window, finishing his drink in one deft swig.

“Would you like me to drive you home?” Tommy asked, placing the glass down on his desk. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to ask anyway. You know, like a real gentleman.

She stood there, wrapped in his coat, wet hair pressed against her face, eyes wide. Before she could even reply, a flash of lightning illuminated the entire room, followed by a clap of thunder that made her flinch.

He could tell she was stifling laughter. “I’ve always wondered what it would like to get electrocuted, maybe this drive home would be the best time to find out.”

Tommy scoffed, blowing air out of his nose. “While I appreciate the initiative, I, unfortunately, don’t share the same wonder.”

They stood in silence for a bit, watching the sky pour open before them. There was only one option now. Without even looking at her, Tommy began speaking.

“I guess your only option is staying over, or electrocution. Dealers choice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this specific trope so much. ALSO, I don't think fiddleheads are native to that area??? but I'm going to pretend they are and add them anyway hehe (they are really good) I am changing nature for Tommy Shelby to eat a fiddlehead (I'm laughing so hard at myself rn) Thank you for reading the story and my ramblings :)


	9. A Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your wonderful comments!! I am so happy you are enjoying the story :,) I was really excited about this chapter so I decided to post it right after I finished typing hehe I'll be popping in later to make some tiny edits, so I apologize if the formatting or anything seems a little off! Thank you for reading ❤️

**AUDDIE** could tell Malcolm was on edge. His mood had soured after dinner on Thursday, specifically when he found out Tommy had spoken to her behind his back, and it had only gotten worse Friday morning.

It was concerning, to say the least. Malcolm was never the “overly-protective” type. That was Douglas’ job. There were boys she had liked growing up, and Malcolm was always there for her. Supporting her until her heart broke, and then he was there to help pick up the pieces. Douglas was there to scare them away. Maybe it was because Tommy was his business associate? Boss? She couldn’t get it straight. She didn’t have any ill intentions with Tommy, nor did Tommy with her. They were friendly. Friends. Becoming friends.

Besides, there was a terrible storm. She would’ve had to stay over anyway.

Auddie was excited. This was exciting. She sunk lower into the tub until the water was up to her eyes. It was all happening so fast. She squeezed her eyes shut and dunked her head under.

She felt so free. No one to answer to. This whole day was hers. It belonged to her and her alone.

The maid, Frances, left a beautiful silk robe out for her to change into. It made her feel like a little girl playing dress-up with her mother’s clothes. She slid the robe on and wrapped her hair in a towel, desperately planning on how she would tame her hair.

The guest room was extraordinarily large. It was just as ornate as Malcolm’s apartment, but… simpler. It felt less lived in. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She tied the sash of silk robe around her waist tighter as she crossed the room for her satchel. Taking out her notebook, she quickly began scribbling down highlights from her day. 

‘ _Riding in the forest, riding a horse named Rabbit (I named her Rabbit but that doesn’t matter), picking mushrooms, finding fiddleheads (yum), learning that_ _Thomas_ _Tommy isn't such a smug old man after all. He’s not that old. But still. Today felt like home. I think I like it here. Almost a week in and I like it._ ’

Her heart fluttered in her chest. She was so excited. And stupid.

She sat in front of a vanity and brushed through her hair. 

“Get a grip Auddie.” She muttered to herself in the mirror. “It’s just one night. This will never happen ever again.”

She brought two outfits with her to change into after riding. One was just a skirt and sweater. The other was a new dress she purchased right before she left Boston. She laid them both out on the bed and tapped a finger to her lips. She weighed the options in her head. She didn’t want Tommy getting the wrong idea. He probably didn’t even have that idea in his head in the first place. She buried her face in her hands. Why was she even thinking of that idea?

Auddie chose the sweater and skirt. She wasn’t going to a club for Christ’s sake. She stared at her reflection, her hair was smoothed out enough. It would have to do.

She tiptoed out of the room and maneuvered her way through the halls of the guest wing. She couldn’t help but marvel at how impossibly grand this home was. The house she grew up in was large, but this, this was a palace. Tommy had a _guest wing_ for crying out loud. She wondered what Malcolm would’ve thought. He probably would’ve peppered in close to a thousand _Château de Malcolm_ comments, that was for sure. Her thoughts drifted to Malcolm, and she felt a sharp pang of sorrow in her chest. She did miss him.

After lingering at the top of the staircase for a little too long, she sucked in a deep breath and slowly made her way down to the first floor. She noticed an array of paintings that lined the wall as she took each step. Most of them were paintings of horses, to no one's surprise, but others were of people, portraits, families, children.

She stopped and stared, admiring each one, trying to piece together who was who in Tommy’s life. She already planned on endlessly teasing Malcolm for _not_ having a marvelous portrait of her. There was one painting, however, that created a knot in her stomach.

It was Tommy and a child, a little boy. A son? His son? Embarrassment gnawed at her. She must have misread his entire demeanor. He was a father and probably didn’t appreciate some young girl romping around his home, especially one who insisted on dragging _fucking_ mushrooms everywhere she went.

Ugh. She was so embarrassing. And Stupid. She buried her face in her hands and groaned. _Read the fucking room, Auddie._ The thunder rumbled in the background, seemingly reinforcing these thoughts she had.

Gathering up whatever tendrils of courage she had left, she knocked on the doorframe of his office. Tommy was standing at the same window, drink in hand. She noticed he had changed clothes. Still wearing the same slacks, button-up shirt, and waistcoat. They were new, she could tell. The waistcoat he wore earlier was black, but this one was a dark gray. She groaned internally. Why was she picking up on these things now? 

She took a few tentative steps into his office, feeling terribly self-conscious. Her boots were caked in mud, so she was walking around barefoot, save for her stockings. In the safety of her room, she was excited by the thought of spending the night at Tommy’s house, but now, as it was just her and him, she felt horribly ill. When they rode horses, they had the _horses_ there as amicable companions. But now? They were all alone. It was times like these she wished Malcolm was there. He was so good at filling the silence, or maybe it was because he was just so good at talking about nothing.

“Ah,” Tommy turned toward her, gaze softening. It made her squirm. 

She settled on the sofa across from his desk, crossing one ankle over another. He rounded the table, drink in hand for her. Selfishly, she glanced at his left hand, she didn’t see a ring on his finger. That made her feel a little better, a little less of a villain in her own eyes.

 _Don’t read too much into it,_ Auddie thought to herself, internally grimacing. _You’re becoming friends. Just friends._

“Thank you.” She smiled, meeting his gaze for a moment before looking away.

He hummed. “We were doing so well today. Eye contact and all. What changed?”

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and shook her head. “Nothing, nothing.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow at her and turned back to his desk, leaning on the edge. Thunder rumbled in the background.

“It’s just,” She cleared her throat, adjusting her position on the sofa and tucking her legs underneath her. “Thank you for today. And for letting me stay.” She paused again. “And thank you for picking mushrooms and fiddleheads with me.”

He raised his glass, smirking. “You are quite welcome.”

The sound of rain pattering against the window was their only other company. Glancing over his shoulder, Tommy felt around his desk for something, presumably a cigarette. The room was dark, the lights were dim. The flash of the lighter sparking to life illuminated his face for a moment until the cigarette was deftly lit, and they were shrouded in darkness once again.

“I have a question. If you’ll humor me, of course.” He sighed, exhaling smoke. He balanced his cigarette in between his fingertips. Auddie met his gaze. “Why did you really come here? I have a hard time believing it’s just for a change of scenery.”

“What a question.” She replied, sipping her drink with one hand and smoothing out her skirt with the other. “Counter question. Why do you have a hard time believing it?”

“The fact that you’re questioning my question, is proof enough that it's not the only reason you’re here.”

Auddie took a moment, mulling over his words. She wasn’t sure what to say. Tell the truth? Lie? Half-truth? She could settle for a half-truth, and deal with any questions that came up later.

“Well.” She began, thinking over her words carefully. “My mother is the reason I came here.”

“Did she encourage you to come here?”

“Not exactly.” She traced a finger around the rim of her glass. It was always horribly uncomfortable talking about this. “She got sick, a little over two years ago. We were never certain what it was. All I know is that it never went away.”

Tommy nodded his head, the tip of the cigarette lighting in the dark as he dragged it from his lips. The way he looked at her, ah, he must have known where this was going.

“She passed away almost half a year ago.” Auddie sighed, tearing her gaze away. “I took care of her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He pushed himself from the desk and sat into a chair across from her. His movements were so slow, so deliberate it looked as if he was wading through water.

“Please don’t be sorry,” She exclaimed, placing her drink on the table beside her and waving a hand at him. “It’s quite alright.”

Tommy was silent for a few moments after that. The grandfather clock that was nestled in the corner seemed to tick louder, and longer. He inhaled from his cigarette.

“It’s hard, losing someone you love.”

“Yes. It’s hard.” Auddie sighed, her voice wavering. “I miss her terribly. But such is life.”

A flash of lightning lit up the room for a brief moment, followed by a crack of thunder that rattled the house. 

Auddie feared it would be awkward from that point on. She had such a wonderful day, but here she was, ruining it, by talking about a dead mother. She should’ve just lied.

“Did she have red hair too?”

She looked at Tommy with wide eyes. He asked about her. A small smile crept up onto her lips. She had instinctively placed a hand on her head at the mention of hair, blushing, she clasped her hands together on her lap.

“No, she had blonde hair.”

Tommy reached for an ashtray that was on the low table in between them and dragged it closer to him. He flicked the ash off of the cigarette.

“What about your father?”

Auddie shook her head again. “Dark hair.”

“Huh,” He mused. 

“Only Malcolm and I have red hair.”

“Yours is a truer red.” Tommy began, crossing one leg over the other. “Malcolm’s is much closer to blonde.”

“Oh, don’t let him hear you say that.” She reached for her drink once more and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “He prides himself on being a redhead.”

Tommy placed a hand over his heart. “My lips are sealed. It’ll be our secret.”

“To answer your question,” Auddie cleared her throat. “I couldn’t be at home anymore, not after my mother passed. Malcolm encouraged me to stay with him, indefinitely, and start fresh.”

“I see.” He nodded his head, dropping the stub of his cigarette into the ashtray.

“A question for you.” She smiled, a tinge of false brightness in her voice. “What about your family?”

“What about them?”

“Do they all have those blue eyes?” Auddie felt embarrassed as soon as the question left her lips. If he could ask her personal questions, she could ask him too. 

“No,” He paused, sipping his drink and sighing as he placed it down on the table. “Just me.”

“It looks like we’re both odd ones out.”

“I suppose we are.” He folded his hands together and rested them on his lap.

“How many siblings do you have?”

“Too many.” He replied, shaking his head. “Four. Three brothers, one sister.”

“Wow,” Auddie replied, grinning. “I bet you never got bored growing up. I’d love to have that many siblings.”

Tommy scoffed, readjusting his position in the chair. “Sure, it sounds fun, until you all have to share a bed for the better portion of your young adult life.”

“Fair enough.” She stifled a laugh, she couldn’t stand the thought of sharing a room with her brothers, let alone a bed. His poor sister.

Auddie watched the tiny droplets trickle down the windowpane, the sound of the pattering against glass melding with the ticking of the clock from somewhere in the room. She had maneuvered the conversation about her mother as tactfully as she could. She leaned against the arm of the sofa, feeling more at ease. It was the first time she had spoken to anyone about her death other than Malcolm since, well, since she had passed away. Tommy’s voice tore her away from her thoughts.

“Would you like a tour of the house?” He stood from the chair, picking up his empty glass from the table and reaching for her own.

She smiled. “I would love it.”

*******

Auddie was convinced that this tour would go on forever. Each room was sprawling, the hallways were winding. It felt like an incredibly regal, ornate maze. Did Tommy live here alone? He must have been terribly lonely if he did.

When he showed her around the kitchens, she turned red from embarrassment. It was late, and the staff had gone home for the night many hours before. The countertops gleaned from fresh polish, except for one specific area, that was suspiciously sprinkled with dirt.

Tucked away on a counter in the farthest corner of the kitchen sat two burlap bags, one with misshapen mushrooms sticking out, and the other filled with fiddleheads. She took a few steps toward them, peering into each one. If she wasn’t so mortified, she would’ve appreciated how neatly organized each sack was.

“This is ridiculous.” Auddie brought a hand to her cheek, incredulous. “Look at these bags, so ridiculous.”

She turned on her heel to face Tommy, who was (quite poorly) struggling to stifle a laugh.

“I made you forage in the forest today! That is so embarrassing!”

He took a few steps toward the bags, looking in them himself. “Yep. It is pretty ridiculous.”

“You’re not supposed to say that!” She gently nudged him with her elbow, groaning.

“You called it ridiculous first.” He grinned. “I’m just agreeing with you.”

“I’ll bring them home and cook them properly.” She sighed, face still burning. “Perhaps then I can redeem myself.”

“I can safely say that I’ve never met someone as interested in mushrooms and whatever they are,” he motioned to the bags, “like you.”

“For your sake, I hope you never meet someone like me again.” She ran a hand through her hair. Sheepishly, she glanced toward him. He was staring right back, smiling. “And they’re called fiddleheads.”

*******

After the kitchen debacle, Auddie followed Tommy up the main staircase. She did a double-take at each painting she passed by again, still trying to piece them all together. Tommy glanced at her from over his shoulder. When she realized she was caught staring, yet again, she tucked her hair behind her ear and snapped her eyes forward.

Tommy stopped mid-step and turned to face the wall of paintings fully. With a freshly lit cigarette perched between his lips, he gestured to the portrait of himself and his son.

“My son.” He took a drag of his cigarette. “Charlie.”

Auddie smiled, her own gaze softening. “He’s very cute.”

“Yeah, until he shows you his toy car collection.” He shook his head, smiling himself. “It will go on for hours.”

“He must love your car then.” She quipped. 

“That he does. He asks for a ride just about every other day.”

They stood there, side by side, admiring each painting. Tommy began to piece it all together for her, pointing and explaining the origin of each one, or where he had gotten them from. 

Auddie watched him, talking over the cigarette he balanced on the corner of his mouth, explaining the origin of a painting of a thoroughbred he had commissioned a while back. She really was starting to like him, and she wasn’t sure if it was in such a friendly way anymore.

Embarrassment and guilt still gnawed at her stomach, even as she tried to suppress it. He didn’t mention anything about a wife, or a mother.

Tommy walked further up the stairs and jerked his head toward another photo of Charlie on the wall. “He’s with my sister and nephew for the weekend.”

“Have you taught him how to ride a horse?”

“Not yet,” Tommy replied. “He’s too small. Hopefully, one day soon.”

Auddie couldn’t help but grin. “Douglas the pony is still up for grabs.”

Tommy scoffed. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

*******

Auddie and Tommy sat on a chaise by a large window at the top of the stairs. The storm had died down, but the rain was still holding strong. They shared stories from their childhoods, only the best memories, the kind that left your heart feeling warm, golden even. They talked about everything and nothing, well into the night.

She loved the stories he shared about growing up in such a large family, riding half-wild ponies together, and getting kicked off and into the mud. He smiled when she told him about the time she was late for her first day of nursing school and had to ride a horse into the city and tie it to a random streetlamp. 

A clock somewhere in the house chimed for the twelfth hour. Auddie was not tired at all.

After her bout of laughing, she took a deep breath, wiping a tear from her eye. She leaned over the back of the chaise, facing out the window.

“I still can’t believe I made you carry all of those mushrooms for me today.” She sighed, still grinning. “Instead of jewelry, I want someone to give me mushrooms and fiddleheads.”

Tommy scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You’ll make someone, and their wallet, very lucky one day.”

“Thank you.”

He lazily turned his head toward her, inquisitive as ever.

“Thank you for everything today.” She continued, sitting up. “For riding in the forest, humoring me and my mushrooms, letting me stay over. Thank you.”

“You forgot the fiddleheads.”

Auddie grinned wildly. “You remembered!”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

They sat in silence for a bit after that, with Auddie glancing at him from the corner of her eye every now and then. Finally, eyes met his, and there he was, staring at her. She twirled a piece of hair around her finger, heart thumping in her chest. She had no idea what to do.

“It’s getting late.” She stretched her arms high above her head, sighing in an attempt to force a yawn. “I should probably go to bed.”

Tommy hummed, leaning against the arm of the chaise.

Auddie turned from the back of the chaise and was facing him fully now. They stared at each other, steely eyes clashing with blue. She stood from the couch, clutching her hands together. Tommy remained, sitting there. She had no idea what he was getting at. Well, she had some idea. Nodding her head toward him, she made her way down the hall, thankful that her back was toward him so he couldn’t see the wild blush on her face.

She was about halfway down the hall, when she heard his voice call.

“You’re going the wrong way, the guest wing is in the other direction.”

She could’ve sworn she heard him laughing. A million thoughts buzzed through her head. The loudest ones were this is so embarrassing and stupid.

When she walked by him, she gave him her sweetest smile. “I knew I was going the wrong way the whole time.” He only chuckled in response, shaking his head.

“I’m sure.”

She flexed her hands. Her heart was torn in two. _Oh fuck it_ , she thought, _I’ve already made him carry mushrooms and fucking fiddleheads for me._

Turning on her heel, she trudged back toward the chaise and sat beside him once again. Tommy hadn’t moved an inch.

She stared at him front on, eyebrows knitted together. He raised a single eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“Don’t ‘yes’ me.” Auddie retorted. He smirked. 

The silence hung heavy in the air between them.

“Are you going to kiss me or what?”

He laughed, low in his chest. Everything from that moment forward moved painfully slowly. 

Tommy reached for her, placing his hands on each side of her face. Auddie scooted toward him, it took her a moment to register what was happening, the sensation causing her to wiggle her toes. Their lips brushed, he kissed her, and she kissed him.

For the first time since Auddie had met Tommy, she didn’t feel shy.

He kept one hand on her cheek, the other traveling to her throat, and then all the way down to the curve of her hip. It felt as if time had stopped right there, sitting by the window, the sound of rain growing faint behind them, as if the storm had never existed at all. In fact, Auddie had never been more thankful for a thunderstorm in her whole life. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, sneaking a guilty peak of his face in the process, the feel of his body leaning on hers felt nearly forbidden. She felt like Eve, reaching for the apple. She didn’t even care about the snake. 

When she pulled away, his hands lingered, bunching up the fabric of her skirt, fingertips brushing against the skin of her face. He held her so gently as if she were made of porcelain.

“Did I seduce you with my knowledge of mushrooms and fiddleheads?”

He smiled, eyes softer than she had ever seen them, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Yes, it was something like that.”


	10. A Delivery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading + leaving such kind feedback! I hope you all enjoy this chapter :) hehe

**TOMMY** did not sleep that night. He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting to Auddie, who was more than likely sleeping peacefully far away at the other end of the hallway.

He felt guilty. In fact, it gnawed at him from the inside out.

In the few days leading up to this weekend, he felt nothing. Maybe not nothing, perhaps he felt something that was a little more than a sense of striking curiosity about her. But now, after he saw the way she looked at him when she jumped over a particularly large rock on horseback, the way her brows furrowed together in concentration when she was digging up her thirtieth misshapen mushroom, her lips, swollen and red after kissing her.

He would only be her ruin, and to his own surprise, he cared this time. It was ridiculous.

He had planned on driving her home the next morning, and there was a part of him that looked forward to it. He could picture her now, sitting beside him with that satchel on her lap, two bags of her spoils from the forest by her feet, and a wild grin on her face. 

He couldn’t do it.

He decided he would pick up Charlie from Ada’s early that morning. He’d be gone before she woke up, and he would have someone else, anyone else, bring Auddie home.

Dawn had barely broken by the time he had fully washed and dressed, already heading out toward the door. For a brief moment, he felt a tinge of regret when he walked by Auddie’s muddied boots that were tucked away by the door, but he brushed it off and made his way down the gravel drive nonetheless. 

As he drove, he wondered what she would think of him. He wasn’t going to call her anymore, he wasn’t going to write. He was going to wipe his hands clean of her and the whole situation. Perhaps Malcolm was right. Seeing Auddie, seeing Auddie for who she truly was, he didn’t want to taint that. She was too young, she had a life ahead of her, and well, he was too old, and his life was already rotten.

He had his fun, maybe this time he’d stop this madness while he was ahead, the weekend with her was doomed from the start. He was drawn in by a new and pretty face and now had gotten his fill.

With one hand on the wheel and the other fumbling with a cigarette, he decided it was time to do what he does best: avoid and deflect.

*******

**ALMOST** two weeks had passed by the time Tommy had last seen or spoken to Auddie. There were times he felt poorly about it, obviously not poorly enough to give her a call, but work kept him busy.

He found himself calling that fucking horse ‘ _Rabbit_ ’ still, and that was the most he’d let himself think about her. Except for the times, he found himself riding through the cedar trees behind his home in the early morning, and almost completely stopping in the middle of the trail to admire a few mushrooms that poked above the grass.

The way he was acting was ridiculous.

Tommy shook his head, leaning back into his chair and lighting a cigarette in an attempt to rid the buzzing thoughts from his skull. That was then and this is now. They had barely gotten to know each other, he cut the strings before they could even think about attaching. 

He was in his office in the back of the shop that afternoon. He had received a call from Malcolm a few days prior to let him know that he had arrived in Boston, and would be updating him on the whole “ _crate_ _situation”_ as he called it throughout the duration of the next few weeks. 

Tommy figured it would take about a month for Malcolm to get adjusted in the city, and make some progress on his investigation before he would even be able to think about returning to London. Malcolm mentioned nothing of Auddie, and neither did Tommy. Business as usual, it made things easier.

In the meantime, Polly had encouraged him to do some digging of his own. She called it _“lazy”_ and _“bad practice”_ to simply trust the word of Malcolm (a rat in her eyes) alone. He had to agree with her, but it was too soon for Tommy to just _condemn_ Malcolm and sink his entire business. He said he would give him two months to figure it out, and he would keep his word until then. 

Malcolm had always been amicable, and trustworthy enough to work with. He couldn’t help but think of Auddie, too, and her role to play in it. He knew the fallout between himself and Malcolm would be ugly, especially in their particular business. Although Tommy severed the threads of fate between them early on, he thought of how it would affect her, and so for her sake as well, he would hold out on her brother for the remainder of this... grace period. He smiled to himself, albeit bitterly. Perhaps he had gone soft.

The situation was odd, yes, but he wouldn’t condemn him. Not yet, at least.

Heeding Polly’s advice (stern warning), he sent Arthur sniffing around a _FRASER & SONS _warehouse a few cities away. It was in an area far from his own jurisdiction, meaning that there were no Blinder boys wandering around. What was Arthur looking for? He was unsure. Evidence of conspiracy? Duplicity? Maybe he would find each crate tucked away with a beautiful red bow, and call it a mystery solved.

Until he heard a word from Malcolm or had hard evidence from Arthur, it was simply a waiting game. Franklin, one of the only other people involved in this fiasco, had come by the day before with a folder full of paperwork that was compiled directly from Malcolm’s office over the past few months. How did he know they were Malcolm’s? ‘ _Love Mal xo_ ’ was written on the front of the folder. Typical. 

And then, like clockwork, the phone rang.

With a sigh (it was more of a grumble), he reached for it and cleared his throat into the receiver. “Thomas Shelby.”

“Hey, good evening, it’s Malcolm. Or is it a good afternoon? I’m still working through these time differences. Anyway, it’s Malcolm.”

 _Malcolm_ , he thought. _It was always Malcolm._

Tommy rolled his eyes, “How are you?”

“I’m great, never been better, truly. How about yourself?”

Whatever resentment Malcolm had felt toward him seemed to have settled by now. Tommy imagined that he was probably thrilled that his sister had been tossed to the side. He wondered what Auddie must have told him, or omitted.

“I’m fine, just fine.” Tommy replied, “What can I do for you?”

“I was just calling to make sure that Frank dropped off all of the documents you asked for. He said he was coming by either yesterday or today.”

Tommy balanced the phone on his shoulder, shuffling through a few stacks of folders. 

“I wrote ‘love Malcolm’ on it if that helps you find it.” He could picture Malcolm grinning wildly as the words left his mouth.

“He dropped it off yesterday.” Tommy slid out the cardstock folder with exactly that written on it. “I have it right here.”

“Great,” Malcolm sighed. “There should be everything you need on my end there. Reports, receipts, invoices, ledgers. Maybe even my birth certificate.”

Tommy fanned out all of the papers on his desk, his eyes scanning each line on every page. 

“It all looks good. Thank you.” He paused, adjusting his glasses and narrowing his brows. “Except I’m missing an import from last month, May. From London to Boston under the Fraser company name.”

Malcolm was silent on the other end, before he cleared his throat, voice cracking. “Are you sure? I told him to check that everything was in there.”

“I’ll give it another once over,” Tommy replied, scribbling notes on the top of each page.

“Do you want me to stay on the phone?” Malcolm asked.

“Yes, please. I’d like to try and get this figured out right now.”

“Got it.”

Tommy continued flipping through each sheet, once, twice, three times. He could feel a headache pulsating in the back of his skull. 

“It’s not here Malcolm.”

“Dammit. It never gets easier, does it?” Malcolm groaned, sucking in a deep breath. “Okay, okay, everything is fine. Let me make a few more calls, and I’ll get this squared away.”

“Glad to hear it,” Tommy replied, leaning on his desk with his elbows.

“Alright, talk soon.”

Tommy sunk back into his seat, tossing his glasses onto the desk. Maybe Malcolm was right. It really never got easier, did it?

*******

Tommy drove home by nightfall in an especially foul mood. Each day was growing more and more tedious, and the migraines were frequent. The crates, meetings with stuffy old MPs, Polly chewing his head off about the _fucking_ crates, juggling co-parenting with Lizzie. It was all building up. He wasn’t sure where the frustration began and ended at this point. 

Arrow House was large and quiet, like always. He was home earlier than usual, but late enough that Charlie was already tucked away in his room, fast asleep. He had spent the better part of his day reading through all of Malcolm’s documents and comparing them to his own copies. For the most part, everything matched up perfectly. No signs of duplicity yet, only Malcolm’s mindlessly scrawled notes regarding the height, length, width, and weight of every fucking crate. Part of him hoped Arthur would uncover something, just to break from the monotony of it all.

He traced his lips with the end of his cigarette, staring blankly ahead at the sofa across the room from his desk. He found himself missing the week of Auddie. They were two people who, in any other circumstances, would have never met. They barely knew each other, and Tommy wanted to keep it that way. Before he could ruin her, and she could ruin him. For just that week, things were easy. He always wanted to remember her and that week like that. Easy.

But, as Tommy Shelby knew all too well, life could not always be like that. Life wasn’t all collecting mushrooms in a forest.

The phone rang, breaking him from his melancholy. He sat up, grabbing it by the third ring.

“Hey, it’s me, Malcolm. Sorry for calling so late, I called your Birmingham office a few times before I even tried your house.”

“Hello, Malcolm.” Tommy waved a hand in the air. “It’s no matter.”

“Good and bad news.” He cleared his throat, followed by the sound of him shuffling papers on the other end. “The original invoice you’re looking for was lost, that one from May, but I have a copy. I can get it to you tomorrow.”

“That’s great,” Tommy replied, lighting his cigarette.

“Will you be in Birmingham all day tomorrow?” 

“I can be.”

“Excellent, good. Really good.” Malcolm sucked in a breath. “Auddie’s gonna drop it off for me. Anytime in particular, that works best for you?”

Tommy paused, for a long while, tossing his lighter on the table with a little more force than necessary. 

“Tomorrow afternoon is fine.”

“Great. She’ll be by then.” 

Tommy sunk back into his seat, dragging his thumbnail across his lips, fiddling with the cigarette in between his fingertips. He laughed, shaking his head, a bitter pang shooting through his chest.

The threads of fate had a sense of humor, didn’t they? Perhaps she would be his own ruin after all.

*******

Tommy drove to Birmingham early the next morning, earlier than usual. He had no reason to be there. The plan was for one of his secretaries to intercept the delivery from her, the whole interaction would be as painless, and most importantly, contactless as possible.

But there he was anyway, bright and early, sitting behind his desk with his legs crossed, sleeves pushed up to his elbows by garters, and hands firmly clasped together.

He wouldn’t see her, they didn’t know each other. He had plenty of work to be done in the shop that day, that's why he was there. Catching a glimpse of her would be a side benefit, sure, but they wouldn’t even speak. He had been with plenty of women before, let alone _kissed_ plenty of women. She wasn’t special. As far as he was concerned she was just another notch under his belt.

Around noon, there was a loud knocking at his door. Through the frosted glass, he could see a shadowy figure standing and shifting from foot to foot. With a wave of his hand, he motioned them to come in. To his own surprise, it was no one other than Arthur.

“Hello Arthur,” Tommy nodded his head, pulling his glasses lower on his nose and pushing himself from his desk. He motioned toward the liquor cabinet. “Drink?” 

Arthur removed his cap, taking long and heavy strides into his office before collapsing into one of the chairs in front of the desk. 

“Any news?” He asked, glancing at Arthur from over his shoulder while unscrewing a decanter.

Arthur shook his head, running a hand ragged through his hair. “Nothing. The place was squeaky clean.”

“Hm,” Tommy replied, handing a glass to him. “Maybe Pol is just paranoid.”

“I wouldn’t say that Tom.” Arthur took a swig. “She’s never paranoid without reason. She’s got a sense, yeah?”

“Perhaps.”

“I think it's a good idea to keep looking.” Arthur sat up in his chair, pointing to Tommy with the drink in his hand. “We could try somewhere else? Where else does he have warehouses?”

“I’d have to look at a map.” Tommy sighed, rounding the corner of his desk and taking a seat.

“Do you think we can leave some boys around the area? Just to keep an eye out.”

“If you can be discreet,” Tommy replied. “Wouldn’t want word getting back to Malcolm. He’s my business associate first, rat second. We can talk about it more later.”

Arthur grinned, taking another swig.

“How have you been, Tom? You look tired.”

“Do I?” Tommy asked monotonously, patting his waistcoat for his cigarette case. “I feel fine.”

“When was the last time you had a day off, eh?”

Tommy scoffed, placing a cigarette in between his lips. 

“Why don’t we go out tonight? Go to fuckin’ London, the Garrison, anywhere. Have a couple of drinks. Like the old times.”

“I’m busy,” Tommy mumbled, his hands cupped around the end of the cigarette as he tried to catch the spark.

“Busy doing what? You’re just sitting here.” Arthur continued, his voice growing louder. “Just one night. Would do you good.”

“Maybe.” Tommy leaned back in his seat, exhaling smoke. “Maybe not.”

Arthur waved a hand toward his desk wildly. “What are you doing today anyway? Looks like a whole lot of nothin’.” He stood up, peering at the empty space in front of him. “Not a single paper on your desk.”

Well, Tommy had to give Arthur credit, he really hit the nail on the head with that one. His desk, for once, was completely clear. Spotless.

“I’m waiting for something.”

“Waiting for what?”

“A delivery.” He flicked the ash off of his cigarette.

“What kind of delivery?”

_Too many questions._

“A delivery from Malcolm Fraser.” Tommy sighed, crossing one leg over the other. “When it gets here, I’ll consider tonight, okay?” He knew how to shut him up.

Arthur gave him a toothy grin, banging his fist on the arm of the chair. “Oh, that's what I’m talking about Tom.”

Tommy smiled, shaking his head.

A few moments, minutes, or hours had passed by, Tommy wasn’t exactly sure, truthfully, he lost track of time when Arthur started planning their night out. There was another knock at the door, this time softer, with a shadowy figure hidden by the frosted glass.

“I got it.” Arthur gestured toward the door by the jerk of his thumb over his shoulder and pushed himself up from the chair. He stalked to the door and threw it wide open. 

_So much for tact._

A young woman stood there, it was one of his secretaries, she was new. He thought her name was Marnie. Margie? Maggie? It didn’t matter.

“Mr. Shelby, sir, there is someone here for you,” Marnie muttered, eyes darting all around the room, looking everywhere but at him.

“Who is it?” A stupid question, he already knew.

“Miss Fraser, sir. She has a delivery for you.” Margie cleared her throat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It's from her brother, Mr. Fraser.”

Arthur’s head turned back and forth from Tommy to his secretary, eyebrows raised.

Tommy waved a hand at her, cigarette dangling in between two fingers. “Just grab the envelope and send her on her way. Thank you, Maggie.”

Shifting from foot to foot, Marnie took a deep breath and quickly stepped aside. “She has it, uh, right here.”

Auddie stood there, clutching a large envelope with both hands, the same fucking satchel over her shoulder, staring directly at him. Silence hung heavy in the air, and Tommy wondered if he could just impale himself on a pen and call it a day. He deftly placed the cigarette in between his lips and waved his hand again.

“Thank you, Margie,” Tommy spoke in between gritted teeth. “Please, come in Miss Fraser.”

Auddie took a few steps into the office, her eyes glancing all around. When she noticed Arthur standing beside the door, she gave him a smile, albeit a nervous one. Tommy couldn’t blame her, anyone seeing Arthur for the first time typically had that reaction, especially when he was looming beside the door frame. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Shelby.” She brought her gaze to his, voice tinged with false brightness. “I have the document you needed from my brother.” She tapped a finger on the envelope. 

“Thank you.” He stood from the desk and approached her, reaching for the envelope. “I appreciate you coming by on such short notice.”

“It was no trouble.” She replied, clasping her hands together in front of her.

Tommy took a step back and gestured toward Arthur, who was still hovering by the door. To call the situation at present awkward was an understatement. He speculated that he probably could’ve sliced the air with a knife and given everyone in the room a nice helping of tension pie. Taking a drag from his cigarette, he cleared his throat and continued on, in an attempt to fill the silence.

“Auddie, this is my older brother, Arthur.” Tommy gestured back and forth to them. “Arthur, this is Malcolm Fraser’s sister, Auddie.”

Auddie smiled, taking a few steps toward Arthur to shake his hand, exchanging a quick greeting. It was sweet.

When she turned back to Tommy, Arthur shot him a look from over her shoulder. Oh, yes, it was tense alright.

“Well.” Auddie sighed, clearing her throat and clasping her hands together. “Is there anything else you need?”

Tommy motioned to the envelope in his hand. “That should be it.”

“Then I’ll be on my way.” She turned to Arthur. “It was wonderful meeting you.”

Arthur smirked, his eyes flicking from her and Tommy. “Yeah. You too.”

Adjusting the strap of her satchel on her shoulder, she smiled at both of them one more time, and made short, assured steps toward the door.

Tommy’s eyes were glued to her as she walked away. He thought she looked beautiful. She wore a green dress that complimented her hair. Her hair was curled, too, he had never seen it curled before. He had only seen her hair when it was fresh from a braid and wild. Yes, he thought he preferred that image of it more.

He knew what he had to do. Let her walk out that door and continue on with her life, just as he would do as soon as she was gone. It was the right thing to do, the _practical_ thing to do. Especially for her sake. 

He told himself, if he cared about her, even a little bit, he would let her walk away. Let her hate him for stringing her along for those few days. Let her hate him for never even giving her a chance. Plenty of people hated him, he could handle one more. Besides, it was for the best.

But then again, was Tommy Shelby ever _practical_ when it came to women? 

He took a long drag from his cigarette and sharply exhaled a puff of smoke into the air.

She still hadn’t cooked a fucking fiddlehead for him, he couldn’t let that knowledge go to waste.

_Fuck it._

“Arthur, could you give us a moment?” He asked, raising a hand toward his brother. "Please, take a seat, Miss Fraser."

Auddie stopped in her tracks and blinked at him, no doubt dumbfounded. He was just as dumbfounded as her.

“Yeah, ‘course.” Arthur stepped out of his office, nodding his head to Auddie as he put his cap back on. “Miss.” As he reached for the door handle he winked at Tommy, waggling his eyebrows.

The door clicked shut, and there they were, alone.

Yes, the threads of fate were very funny.


	11. A Thread

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me after the last chapter :,)

**AUDDIE** felt disappointed, but she wouldn’t call it heartbreak. No, she couldn’t be heartbroken after only knowing someone for a few days, and then kissing them, right? That certainly wouldn’t qualify as heartbreak, even if she wanted to throw all of her fucking fiddleheads into the garbage at the thought of Tommy Shelby.

No, no, she couldn’t do that. That would be a waste of perfectly good fiddleheads.

She definitely misread the situation. It was her own naivety, she got too invested too soon. She had only known Tommy, for what, a total of three days? Even that was a generous estimation.

The morning after her night at Tommy’s house was, strange, to say the least. She woke up with a (stupid) grin on her face, swung her legs off of the bed, and quickly got dressed. She thought he would be already awake in his office, but instead, once she bounded down the stairs she was immediately intercepted by one of his housekeepers.

“Mr. Shelby had other business to attend to this morning, miss.” An older maid told her. “He’s arranged a car to take you home, at your leisure.”

At first, Auddie thought nothing of it. She knew Malcolm’s work kept him busy at odd hours and expected Tommy to be just as busy, if not even more.

So, she sat in the back of one of his fancy cars and was driven home by a quiet old man. It was the longest ride of her life, sitting there with her satchel on her lap and two bags of foraged goods by her feet (that part was embarrassing). She really looked forward to spending the extra time driving home with Tommy, but then again, work could be busy, she understood.

When she arrived at Malcolm’s apartment she continued on with the rest of her Sunday. Reading books, taking a walk, dicing up mushrooms, and conveniently hovering by Malcolm’s office every hour or so, waiting for the phone to ring.

She hadn’t kissed anyone in a while, and certainly not like  _ that _ . She felt excited, as if maybe,  _ just _ maybe, her trip across the ocean wasn’t in vain. Maybe, there would be another reason for her to stay. 

Each day was the same after that, going through her mundane routine, keeping busy, waiting by the phone. With Malcolm gone, she had more free time than she had realized would be possible. She even attempted to prepare a mushroom casserole for herself one afternoon, since she had so many leftovers from the weekend (it tasted terrible).

Leaning up against the headboard of her bed, she held Tommy’s business card. Maybe she would give his job opportunity a shot. She didn’t want to jump the gun, she still had only just arrived in London, but still, it was on her mind. Maybe giving his offer more thought and consideration wouldn’t be such a bad idea. She wanted to know more about him, and she assumed he felt the same way about her. Maybe there really could be a fresh start for her here, a  _ real _ change of scenery.

After a week of silence from Tommy, Auddie came to the sinking realization that she was being brushed off.

She felt horribly embarrassed. His entire housekeeping staff probably thought she was just a random girl, a one night stand. In some ways, that would’ve been easier to deal with. Getting brushed off after sex was one thing, but getting brushed off after a single kiss? God, that was a real blow to her ego.

She would pace around her bedroom, replaying every moment they had spent together in her mind, trying to pinpoint what she did wrong. Could it have been the mushrooms? Too many fiddleheads? Bad kisser? Did he think she was unattractive? Was the long and painful conversation about her deceased mother too much? Or maybe he had a wife after all, and had come to his senses after kissing her? 

She started to spend most days sulking under the covers of her bed, and only poked her head out when Mary came knocking at her bedroom door with a meal. 

Auddie started to feel better toward the second week of silence. They had barely known each other after all, so there was nothing really lost between them. It was just one kiss, there was no need for her to be so upset. Except for the fact that she was really starting to like him. 

She had felt heartache plenty of times before, and she would feel it plenty of times again. She just wished Malcolm were there, he would’ve known exactly what to say.

Auddie vowed to keep herself busy. If she was busy, she wouldn’t even have the time of day to think of Tommy. Thomas.  _ Mr. Shelby _ . She practiced driving her brother’s car, curling her own hair, and she even worked on perfecting the mushroom casserole a bit (it looked slightly less like gray slop this time around). 

She was so incredibly busy, that she only had time to think about Mr. Shelby only a few times a day, just about every day anyway. It was a lost cause. 

On a particularly muggy morning, she sat on the ledge of the bay window in the living room, curled up reading a book.

Mary knocked on the doorframe, leaning into the room.

“Miss, there is a call for you.”

Auddie turned her head toward her, carefully closing the book shut with both of her hands. 

“Who is it?” She asked, voice wavering, a tinge of hope fluttering in her chest. 

Mary smiled. “It's your brother, Mr. Fraser. He wanted to speak with you.”

Auddie’s shoulders sagged. Brushing a strand of hair out of her face, she stood from the ledge. Forcing a smile, she nodded her head toward her. “Thank you, Mary. I’ll be right there.”

She felt pathetic for even hoping it was Tom-  _ Mr. _ Shelby. Yes, she truly was a lost cause.

_ I’m 23. Not a teenager in love. It was only a kiss. _

*******

Before she could even speak into the receiver, she was cut off by an all too familiar voice.

“Auddie! I made it!”

“I was terribly frightened you were eaten by a whale.” Auddie smiled, leaning into his office chair. “Mainly because you haven’t signed everything over to me in the will yet.”

“So evil.” Malcolm laughed from the other line. “Breaking your brother’s heart.”

“Oh hush.” She grinned, “How was the trip?”

“Terrible, the worst experience of my life. I threw up on the boat every day.” He sniffled. “And now I’m stuck in Boston.”

“You’re ridiculous, but I’m happy you made it over in one piece.”

“Me too, for now.” He sighed, “Ah, how was your time at Mr. Shelby’s? That was almost two weeks ago now, wasn’t it? I’ve lost all track of time.”

Auddie took a deep breath, clutching the phone tightly. She cleared her throat, composing herself. “Oh, it was just fine. I had a lovely time.” 

“Well, I’m glad to hear it.” He replied. “Still think he's a cold and smug old meanie?”

“Yes.” She answered, a little too quickly.

“What a surprise,” Malcolm muttered. “I thought you were warming up to him?”

“Things can change, can’t they?”

“They certainly can.” He quipped. “Have you two spoken since?”

Auddie wanted to scream into the phone, but instead, she opted for civility. “No, it's been pretty quiet here.”

“Hm.” Malcolm clicked his tongue. “What have you been up to since I’ve been gone? Besides mourning my wonderful personality every day?”

“Oh, not much. I’ve been practicing driving around here, I think I’m getting the hang of the whole opposites thing. Reading, taking walks.” She glanced out the window, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. “Reading some more, taking more walks.”

“I hope you don’t scratch my sweet car.” He began, his tone of voice rising. “You didn’t even mention missing my personality!”

“Malcolm, I have never done anything wrong in my whole life.” She grinned, stifling laughter and rolling her eyes. 

“Evil!”

“And I do, in fact, miss your wonderful personality every day.”

“Aw,” He cooed. “That sounded genuine.”

“It was!”

Malcolm laughed, it sent a wave of warmth through her chest. She missed him. 

“Well,” He cleared his throat. “I’ll let you go now. I just wanted to give you a quick call and tell you that I survived the journey.”

“I’m glad you survived, it was nice hearing from you.” Auddie sighed. “I miss you, even though you’re annoying.”

“Don’t get all soft on me now. I miss you too.” Malcolm cried into the phone. “I’ll be back before you know it!”

Auddie collapsed onto the desk when the call ended with a click, resting her forehead on the cool wood. She was so lonely.

*******

A few days later, she started to run out of things to do to keep herself busy. Two weeks alone and she was crumbling.

So, like any well-rounded young adult, there she was, with curled hair for no good reason other than boredom, pacing throughout the house while tossing blueberries in the air and trying to catch them in her mouth.

As she made her way up and down the main hallway for possibly the fortieth time, Malcolm’s phone rang in his office. Thrilled with the opportunity to actually  _ do _ something with her time, she turned on her heel and swiftly made her way into the office, sliding into his chair and picking up the phone.

“Hello?” She spoke into the receiver, placing the bowl of blueberries onto the desk.

“Auddie? Hey, it's me, Malcolm.”

“Oh hi! How are you?”

“I’m doing fine, thanks.” He quickly replied. “I’m actually calling because I need a favor.”

“Of course, anything.” 

“You answered from my office, right?” He continued, “I need you to look for something.”

“Shoot,” Auddie replied, popping a blueberry into her mouth.

“Open the bottom drawer on the left side of my desk.” He instructed, waiting for the sound of her yanking it open to continue. “There should be a file labeled for each month- can you look for one labelled  _ ‘May’ _ for me?’”

Balancing the phone in between her ear and shoulder, Auddie flipped through each tabbed folder. 

“I see it.”

“Great. Can you take it out and tell me if you find an invoice for an import from London to Boston dated the 31st? Under the Fraser company.”

“Yes, just give me a second.” 

Auddie fanned out all of the paperwork in front of her and traced her fingertips across each line. Eventually, she came across an inky mess of a paper with Malcolm’s exact words.

“I think I found it.” She began, shuffling the rest of the papers back into the folder. “It is terribly messy though. Whoever wrote it spilled ink… or something, all over it.”

Malcolm groaned on the other end. “Is it legible?”

“It's legible enough.”

“Then it will have to do.” Malcolm sighed. “I need you to do me another favor.”

“I’m listening.”

“Would you mind running an errand and bringing that piece of paper to one of my associates?”

“Of course, that’s no problem at all.”

“You’re an angel.”

Auddie smiled. “I should probably ask, who is this going to?”

“Oh, I totally forgot to mention that.” Malcolm huffed, “Mr. Shelby, I need you to bring this to Mr. Shelby.”

Auddie almost dropped the phone onto the floor. Readjusting in her seat, she took a deep breath.

“This is going to Mr. Shelby?”

“The one and only.” He paused for a moment, probably sensing the hesitation in her voice. “Is that a problem?”

“No, no, no problem.” She took a deep breath. “I’m just not even sure I’d know where to deliver it to. Maybe one of your secretaries, or someone else, would be better suited?”

Malcolm exhaled, clicking his tongue. “Normally, I’d ask one of them to do this for me, yes. This document involves some really sensitive information, and truthfully, you’re the only person I can trust to do this.”

Auddie sighed, rubbing small circles on her temple with her free hand. She couldn’t argue with that.

“Of course, it's no problem at all.”

“I’m going to give Mr. Shelby a quick call to smooth out the details of the dropoff, and then I’ll let you know the time and place.”

“Great,” Auddie replied. “When does this need to be delivered?”

“Oh, tomorrow. My bad again.”

*******

Two weeks of silence and two phone calls from Malcolm led her to where she was now, standing in Mr. Shelby’s office, feeling absolutely ridiculous.

Auddie curled her hair that morning. Definitely not for Mr. Shelby. It was for herself, she had been practicing. And she only wore her favorite green dress because it was a nice day out. She wouldn’t dress so nicely for a man who had completely blown her off. She would never do that, not ever. 

But maybe she wore red lipstick for a man who had completely blown her off. Maybe.

“Please, have a seat.” Tommy beckoned her with a twitch of his fingers, his other hand bringing the cigarette to his lips. He rounded the corner of his desk and slid into his chair.

With a forced smile, Auddie took a seat across from him and adjusted her satchel onto her lap. He reached for the silver cigarette case on his desk and flipped it open toward her in one swift motion. 

_ Well, an olive branch is an olive branch. _

She placed a cigarette in between her lips and leaned forward so he could light it. They were both silent for a moment, inhaling and exhaling clouds of smoke that made the air around them hazy. Auddie decided to focus on a wooden figurine of a horse that was perched atop a bookshelf in the corner. Horses, it was always horses.

“How are you?”

Auddie blinked, her eyes meeting his.

“I’m well.” She replied, smoothing out her dress. “And yourself?”

The whole situation was unnecessarily awkward. Two weeks ago she would’ve been ecstatic at the thought of sitting with Tommy in his office, but now? She dreamed of tossing herself out the window and rolling all of the way home.

“Good.” He flicked off excess ash from the cigarette. “I’m good.”

Starting conversations, or small talk for that matter, was never her strong suit. Forcing yet another smile, Auddie took a long drag from the cigarette. 

“How did your property fare after that storm? It was very windy. Any fallen trees?”

_ The weather is always a solid conversational topic. Boring and easy. _

“Oh fine, just fine,” Tommy answered, short and sweet, like always.

She started to wonder if she was perhaps in some sort of purgatory.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Did you drive here?” He leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve been practicing. It's about time I get used to driving around here sooner or later.”

“That’s very good.”

Heavy silence loomed around them, Auddie felt like she was swimming in it, and couldn’t reach the surface to gasp for air. It was everywhere.

“So, how long have you worked here?” Auddie asked, gesturing all around with her hands. From what she had seen when she entered the place, it looked like some sort of… shop? She noticed a wall almost entirely made out of chalkboard, with random numbers and names scrawled across it. Rows of desks with mish-mashed papers and notes filled most of what she could see in the building's one-floor layout. It certainly didn’t look like an automobile factory or anything else that he had mentioned working in, in fact, she didn’t remember him mentioning anything about working in a shop... like this either. She continued on, skirting around her own real questions in an attempt to try and stay polite. “I mean, in this building.”

“My whole life.” He answered plainly, rolling his shoulders. “Only had this office made a few years ago.”

“It’s very lovely.”

“It’s fuckin’ ridiculous.” He shook his head, scoffing. “But it's mine.”

Auddie couldn’t help but smile at his own bluntness. “Maybe a bit, yes.” Her eyes glanced toward the ornate decor, fully stocked liquor cabinet, and considered the fact that it was crammed inside of a random shop in a… hard part of town. A stark contrast to the way he presented himself, three-piece suits and all.  _ Yes, it was a little ridiculous. _

“I also wanted to thank you,” she sighed, fidgeting with the strap of her satchel. “For letting me stay over at your house during that storm. Your home is also very lovely, I appreciate the kindness.”

“The house is also fuckin’ ridiculous.” He replied, talking over the cigarette he had perched in between his lips. “But you’re welcome. We were happy to have you.”

Auddie felt a pang of sorrow in her throat, but swallowed the feeling down anyway and continued on. 

“How long have you lived there?”

“Ah, only about a few years as well.” He sighed, pulling the cigarette from his lips. “But again, even if this office and house are fuckin’ absurd, they are my own.”

Auddie smiled, albeit small, but she smiled. “I understand.”

They sat in silence, once again, smoke lazily rising to the ceiling.

“Are you still considering my offer?”

“The job offer?”

“Exactly that.” He emphasized each word by pointing his cigarette at her.

“I’ve still been adjusting to life on my own here,” she replied, pulling all of her hair over one shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about it here and there.” 

Auddie had no idea what he was getting at, mentioning that job all of a sudden. She must have been in purgatory, or simply just in hell, currently burning alive.

Tommy nodded his head, smirking.

“Well, I was thinking.” He leaned across his desk to twist the remaining stub of the cigarette out. “Tomorrow, I could bring you ‘round to an establishment I had in mind for you.”

Auddie’s heart thumped in her chest. After two weeks of silence? After this (terribly) awkward conversation? 

_ He was about to shoo me out earlier, and now he wants to take me on a tour to a potential workplace? _

“I,” Auddie began, clearing her throat. She took an exceptionally long pull from her own cigarette. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Yes, or no. The choice is yours.”

“I’m… a little taken aback.” She replied, “I wasn’t expecting that offer so soon.”

“Why not?” He quipped, folding his hands on his lap and cocking his head to the side. 

_ He’s egging me on. _

Auddie furrowed her eyebrows. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. She wasn’t sure what game he was playing, but he was playing a game nonetheless.

“No reason in particular.” She shrugged, bringing the cigarette to her lips. “I’ve just been busy for these past few weeks, it hasn’t crossed my mind.”

“Ah.” He smirked.  _ He caught on quickly.  _ “What's been keeping you so busy?”

Auddie exhaled a cloud of smoke. “Just my own daily to-dos.” She hoped she sounded coy.

“If you can find the time for me tomorrow,” Tommy replied, resting his elbows on the desk. “I’d love to show you the place I had in mind.”

“What time tomorrow? I’ll have to check my schedule.”

“All filled up again, is it?”

“Unfortunately so.”

“That’s a real shame.”

“It is.” She reached over his desk, flicking the ash off of the cigarette. 

“Is there anything I can do to sweeten the deal?”

“Again? I’m not sure the promise of a forest trail will work this time.”

“You have me cornered.” He smirked, staring directly at her.

“Perhaps I do.”

They sat in silence, but this time, just like their cigarette smoke, the tension from earlier had slowly begun fading away.

“Well.” Tommy brought a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat. “There’s not much I can do about it.”

He pushed himself up from his desk and rounded the corner, taking a few steps in front of Auddie. Her heart rattled against her ribcage, her gaze slowly traveling up his frame until her eyes met his. 

“There’s not much you can do at all, Mr. Shelby.”

He plucked the cigarette that dangled from her fingertips and brought it to his own lips, taking a long inhale, before leaning toward the desk behind him and stubbing it out.

“Not much I can do all.” He murmured.

Tommy’s hands cupped her face, just like they did two weeks prior. He leaned down toward her, their lips barely touching.

Auddie parted her lips, heart thumping. Her lips met his with the utmost piety: soft, gentle, sweet. She reached her hands up to grab his wrists, pulling his body down toward her. 

Where Auddie was soft and smooth, Tommy was rough, all hard lines and edges. Calloused palms brushed her cheeks, his thumb daring to trace across her lips, smearing her lipstick. She opened her eyes, if only for a brief moment, to see his own pale blue eyes staring at her, pupils dilated. 

_ Yes, _ she thought to herself,  _ I am in hell. _

She felt a rush of helplessness, a sinking yielding, a surging tide of warmth that left her limp in his hands. All of the forgetting she was practicing, all of the busyness, it faded away in that very moment. 

He bent her head back and kissed her again. Gently at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made her cling to him even tighter. His mouth parted her lips, her stomach fluttering and cheeks warming. Before she knew it, she was kissing him back. Her hands traveled down his arms, up to his elbows where his shirt was bunched up.

He pulled away from her, stroking her cheeks with his thumb.

“You’ve been calling me Mr. Shelby.”

“Yes.” She whispered, her voice small.

“Why?”

“I was mad at you.”

“How can you find it in your heart to forgive me, and call me Tommy again?”

“Please kiss me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm here with some post chapter notes to say I feel like Tommy wouldn't outwardly talk about his feelings/the situation with Auddie so he would just kiss her instead to get his point across teehee 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed :) feedback is always welcome, thank you so much for reading!


	12. A Job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took me 12 chapters, but I think I figured out a posting schedule :,) Sun/Tues/Thurs! As always, thank you for reading :)

**SO** much for pushing her away. That lasted for all of two weeks. Out of all of the women Tommy had been with throughout his life, and that was many, this one may be the most ridiculous. Perhaps one of the most ridiculous. He tried to crunch the numbers exactly on how many hours he had known Auddie, and came to the conclusion that it couldn’t have been more than a total of two or three days.

She was a respectable girl, who, he gathered, had come from a respectable family. All smiles and polite gazes, with a little bit of fire, yes, but mostly demure, quiet. He was not a respectable man, who had not come from a respectable family. Their lives, the people they were, their experiences growing up and living, they were like oil and water. But here he was anyway, kissing her.

Eh, he had done worse.

Tommy pulled away, his hands still on her cheeks. Auddie had asked him to kiss her again, she even said _please_ , so, he obliged. He was just being gentlemanly, and boy, was he getting really good at that. Thomas Shelby, the gentleman.

He stared at her, long and hard, trying to memorize her face in that exact moment. Her steely eyes were wide, melting into his own, lips parted only slightly, chest rising and falling rapidly.

“Like a fuckin’ dream.” He whispered, one hand on her cheek and the other traveling down to the base of her throat.

Tommy knew it was wrong. Bringing Auddie into _this,_ this business, this life. _His_ life. Despite the tendrils of guilt that gnawed in his gut, he couldn’t help himself. He was curious, he wanted to know more. As always, he wanted more.

Perhaps the thought of her was taking a certain appeal. She represented everything he wasn’t, everything he couldn’t be, everything he _wanted_ but would never truly have. 

And there she was, like putty in his hands. Eagerly back in his arms after two weeks of silence. 

He kissed her again.

When he pulled away again, she was smiling. No, not just smiling. She was laughing.

“What’s so funny?” He raised an eyebrow, voice husky.

“Nothing.” She replied, a little too quickly.

He stood up fully, glaring down at her. She brought a finger to her lips and swiped, a splotch of red stained to her fingertip.

“I just think red really suits you, is all.” 

_Ah, there was the fire._

“Very funny.” He reached for the cigarette case on his desk and brought it to his face. In his reflection, he saw red smeared all across his lips. Smirking, he tossed it to her. “Take a look at yourself.”

“Oh, this looks wonderful.” Auddie quipped, before bursting into wild laughter. “Don’t we make quite the pair?”

“Hm.”

“Hold on, I have a handkerchief.” She dug into her satchel, her hands clattering various items together as she searched. Eventually, she pulled out a white cloth. _‘_ ** _AMF_** _’_ was embroidered in the corner with baby blue thread.

“Isn’t that dainty.”

“Hush.” Auddie stood up, shrugging her satchel onto the chair. “I have the cloth here, I could abandon you with your red lipstick, and then you would be doomed.” She paused for a moment, admiring him with a grin. “I think it looks quite nice, however.”

She reached a clothed finger to his lips and gently began to wipe away the red smear, laughing the whole time. After she cleaned her own lips, she stood on her tippy toes and pulled him down by the collar of his shirt to kiss him quickly.

“Does this mean your schedule is free tomorrow?”

“I think so.” She said, adjusting his collar. “You convinced me.”

“Come here by noon.” He began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll drive us from there.”

“Noon it is.” She smiled, taking a step back and smoothing out her dress.

Auddie shrugged her bag back onto her shoulder and smiled, her eyes flicking to the floorboards and then back up to him. Tommy stood there, watching, waiting to see what she would do. She turned and quickly cupped his face in her hands, pecking him on the lips, no lipstick this time, and hurried out of the office.

Moments later, Arthur came barreling through the door.

“What in the bloody hell is going on here Tom?” He jerked his chin toward the door. “The Fraser girl?" 

“What?” Tommy raised an eyebrow incredulously, lighting a cigarette.

“She was in here an awfully long time.”

“I like to give all of my associate's equal attention.” He tossed the lighter onto the desk behind him. “It's good business.”

“Good business, yeah,” Arthur grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You better tell me all about this tonight. You promised.”

Tommy shook his head, coughing as he exhaled smoke. “I never promised anything.”

Arthur pointed a finger at his brother. “You’re still coming out.”

*******

That evening, Tommy and Arthur sat across from each other in a booth at the Garrison. It was a surprisingly quiet night, and after only being there for half of an hour, Arthur was well on his way to drunk. Tommy tentatively sipped his own drink. 

“You gotta tell me, Tom.” Arthur bellowed, slamming a hand on the table. “What’s going on?”

“Work,” Tommy replied.

“Oh, you know what I mean.” Arthur continued, words slurring together. “The crates, fuckin’ Malcolm, the girl, what was her fuckin’ name.”

“Auddie.” 

“Yeah, yeah, Auddie.” He huffed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “She was in there an awfully long time. What are you up to Tom? You fucking her?”

“I’m up to nothing. Business is business.”

“No, no.” Arthur wagged a finger at him. “That was a different kind of business today. I’m certain of it.” 

Tommy rolled his eyes, resting his head against the leather seat. “Not the kind of business you’d think.”

Arthur scoffed, a wild grin on his face. “Sure.”

Tommy shook his head, drumming his fingertips on the table.

“Has Malcolm said anything about the crates?”

“I thought this was supposed to be a ‘ _night out_.’”

Arthur held his hands up in defense. “I’m just askin’.”

“No.” Tommy gave him a tight-lipped reply. “I told you, I’m giving him two months.”

“That’s an awfully long time.”

“Perhaps.” Tommy hummed. “I’m keeping my word. We will reassess in two months.”

“For his sake,” Arthur began, eyes narrowing at his brother from over the rim of his glass. “Or hers?”

Tommy rolled his eyes, reaching for his own drink and raising it toward Arthur, “For my own.” He finished it in one quick swig.

“What’s Malcolm gonna think? He comes back and you’re fucking his sister.”

Tommy extended his arms out wide, gesturing to the bar around them. “Is Malcolm here?”

“Trouble, Tom.” Arthur turned his gaze to the bartender and snapped his fingers at him, waving him over to the table for another drink. “It’s always trouble.”

*******

Tommy waited for Auddie outside of the betting shop, leaning against the front bumper of his car. He lazily glanced at his pocket watch. _10 minutes past noon._

He ditched a coat today, it was far too warm. The earlier portion of June was fair, with low humidity and cool mornings. The latter portion, however, as it slowly rolled into July, proved to be beastly. He removed his cap for a moment, wiping beads of sweat from his brow, a testament to the brutality of summer.

A few minutes later, Auddie pulled up, in Malcolm’s car no less.

“Nice car.” He quipped, standing up as she stepped out of the driver’s seat. “You’re late.” 

Auddie peered at him through the window of the half-open door, smirking. She reached back in for a moment, he figured for the fucking satchel. 

“I’m not late!” She called from halfway in the car.

Tommy glanced at his hand where his golden pocket watch gleaned. “My watch says you are.”

She smiled, cheeks flushed as she closed the car door with a bump of her hip. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Auddie walked toward him with her satchel swinging and a shiny black folder in her hands. Her hair was curled again, and to Tommy’s surprise (with a smirk), she didn’t wear lipstick. High heels clicked against the cobblestone. She looked more mature in a blouse and skirt. A stark contrast to the girl he pictured with pockets filled with mushrooms. The thought made him chuckle.

“Late for your first day on the job?” He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “It's not looking good so far.” 

“I don’t remember signing any contract.”

“Right, right.” He nodded his head toward the car and opened the passenger door for her. She smiled and slid right in.

Tommy stepped into the driver’s side and began rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. He caught her glancing at him for a moment, until, sheepishly, she looked away. He couldn’t tell if the flush on her face was from the heat of summer, or perhaps something else.

“So, you’re a nurse.” He began, adjusting his position in the seat and angling his face toward her. “For how long?”

“Yes, Auddie Fraser RN, to be exact.” She echoed with a wink, the satchel sitting by her feet and the folder resting on her lap. “I was certified a little over a year ago, 1925.”

“Ah.” He hummed. “Where did you work?”

“A small private hospital outside of the city,” She replied. “My mother worked there and took me under her wing. But of course, that only lasted for so long. I had… other obligations to fulfill after that.”

Tommy nodded his head in response, there was nothing for him to say. He remembered their conversation on that fateful Saturday a few weeks back.

“I brought my credentials,” She motioned to the folder. “And relevant experience.”

“How old are you?” Tommy shrugged, probably not the most polite question to ask. Better to be blunt and ask than not ask at all.

“Twenty-three.” She replied, glancing at him quickly, almost nervously. “Bold of you to ask a woman her age.”

“It's a simple question.” He smirked. “You don’t look a day over twenty.”

“Oh, please.” Auddie rolled her eyes, smiling. 

“You can ask my age.”

“Alright, how old are you?” She quipped.

“Thirty-six.”

“Oh my.” She gasped, bringing a hand to her lips. “Well, you don’t look a day over thirty-five.”

Tommy rolled his eyes, scoffing. He caught a glimpse of her grinning wildly beside him.

“You ever worked with children?”

“I have, from time to time.” She folded her hands atop the folder. “Why?”

“Just wondering.” He bobbed his head, eyes on the cobblestone road ahead of him. “Related to the place I’m taking you to today.”

“Curious.” She replied, staring out the window.

*******

Tommy parked in front of a towering brick building, a little way out of town, but not too far from the betting shop.

It was all steeples and gothic architecture, surrounded by worn townhouses on either side. In its prime, it must have been a beautiful shade of terracotta, but time was never kind, and as the years went on, and smoke from factories filled the air, the red brick faded to varying shades of gray. The curse of living in an industrial city.

“Here it is.” He gestured with a jerk of his chin. “Honorhall House.”

Auddie nodded slowly, staring up at the building.

“It’s a private practice.” Tommy continued. “Run by nuns. Staffed by midwives and nurses. They’re looking for more help.”

“Nuns? Is it a convent?”

“You could say that.” He shrugged.

“I see.”

“The Shelby Company donates to this place.” Tommy removed his cap and dabbed sweat from his brow again. “It's a place for orphaned children, but, as I said, they’re staffed by midwives and nurses. They’ve been looking for additional help for a while now, and I thought you’d be a good fit. But I’m sure one of the sisters can give you more information.”

Auddie turned toward him for a moment, studying his face, and then back to the building.

He leaned over the steering wheel, staring out the window with her. “What do you say?”

“Let’s go.” She smiled, elbowing the car door open.

Tommy placed a cigarette in between his lips as they walked to the front door, he cupped his hands around the lighter in an attempt to catch a spark. He took a long drag and glanced at Auddie standing next to him. She shifted from foot to foot, gripping that folder in her hands. The fucking satchel swayed with each move she made. Shoving the cigarette case and lighter into his waistcoat, he gave the door three steady knocks with his knuckles.

“What’s in the bag?” He blew out a puff of smoke, cigarette dangling in between his fingers.

“First you ask my age, and then you ask what’s in my bag?”

“I’m a curious man.”

She twirled a piece of hair around her index finger, turning her attention back to the door. “I can’t let you know all of my secrets.”

Tommy shook his head, bringing the cigarette back to his lips. Before he could respond, the door was slowly opened, and an older nun poked her head out from the crack. He tossed his cigarette to the ground and stamped it out. _How pious of me,_ he mused.

“Ah, Mr. Shelby,” She noted, stepping outside. Her eyes flicked between them. Clasping her hands together, she nodded her head toward Auddie. “This must be your associate who inquired about the position here.”

“Sister Abbie,” Tommy cleared his throat, forcing a smile, extended an arm toward Auddie. “Yes, this is Miss Auddie Fraser, RN.” He caught Auddie smirking as he threw the abbreviation in there.

“Welcome, both of you.” Sister Abbie stood by the door and kept it in place by her foot. “Please, come in.”

“After you,” Tommy whispered to Auddie, motioning her inside by placing a hand on the small of her back. 

*******

Tommy trailed behind Auddie and Sister Abbie as they toured through the stone halls. They seemed to be getting along well enough. 

He was surprised, he had never walked through the entire building before, it was massive. Sister Abbie spent extra time in the clinical room with Auddie, no doubt showing her every nook and cranny that they had to offer. Tommy waited in the hallway for them, leaning up against the cool stone wall. 

He told himself he wasn’t doing this just for Auddie, but for himself. For the sake of his business, extending connections. He couldn’t help but smile, although small when he saw Auddie smiling up at Sister Abbie as they exited the room.

As he watched Auddie glance over her shoulder to smile at him, he realized how little he knew about her. She was 23, a newly qualified nurse (he supposed), came from a wealthy family, and loved mushrooms. Fuck, and fiddleheads. He removed his cap, the damp stone hallway cooling his head. He also realized how little she knew about him. He wondered if he would be able to keep it that way. Things were less complicated when he kept people at arms-length. Typically, no one got hurt that way. It was better for business.

Nevertheless, he continued following her, his shoes echoing against the narrow hall with each step.

At the end of the day, it was just good business.

*******

“It was wonderful meeting you, Sister.” Auddie shook the other woman’s hand. “Thank you for showing me around today, I hope to hear from you soon.”

“Most definitely.” She replied, squeezing Auddie’s hand. “And thank you, Mr. Shelby. We’ll be in touch.”

Tommy smiled at both of them, his hands shoved into the pockets of his waistcoat.

Auddie handed Sister Abbie the black folder, waved a final goodbye, and turned back to Tommy. As soon as he heard Sister Abbie shut the door, he pulled the cigarette case from his pocket. He noticed Auddie shake her head with a smirk.

“What did you think?” He placed a cigarette in between his lips and held the case open toward her. She shook her head, smiling.

“Was the cigarette yesterday a one-time thing?”

“I was stressed.” She huffed, furrowing her eyebrows at him. “But Honorhall, Sister Abbie, they were both really lovely.” 

“Lovely.” Tommy hummed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “You say that a lot.” 

Auddie’s cheeks flushed, she tensed a bit. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she turned to him. “Maybe you don’t say it enough.”

“Maybe.”

*******

By the time they drove back to the shop, the sun hung low in the sky, a tiny bulb of light barely hidden behind a curtain of dreary gray clouds. 

“I’ll give you a call when I hear from Sister Abbie,” Tommy noted. “I suspect that will probably be by this evening or tomorrow morning. She seemed smitten with you.”

“Call it Fraser charm.” Auddie winked, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

“Tell your brother to get some then.”

Auddie laughed wildly. “Well, I look forward to hearing from you and Sister Abbie.”

They stood in front of each other in silence, the sounds of cars slowly motoring by filling the air around them. Auddie glanced at her shoes and then back up at him. Tommy just stared at her.

“Thank you, again.” 

“Hm?”

“Thank you, for helping me with a job.” She cleared her throat, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. “I appreciate it, it's very kind.”

“Think nothing of it.” He waved a hand at her. “It's lovely for you to say that.”

Auddie’s eyes snapped up to him, grinning. “It sounds so sweet when you say it.”

Tommy clicked his tongue on his teeth, taking a step toward her and shoving his hands in his waistcoat. She took a step toward him as well.

He really did feel like a schoolboy, he couldn’t help himself.

His car blocked the view of them from the street, he cupped her face and brought his lips to hers quickly. She grabbed his wrists, pulling him closer to her.

“When will I hear from you again?” Auddie asked, breathlessly. “I hate asking that,” she paused, squeezing her eyes shut. “But I want to be selfish.”

“Soon.” He whispered, quickly kissing her again. “I’ll call you soon, promise.”

She looked up at him from under her eyelashes, a pang of guilt shooting through his chest.

“Drive safe.” 

She beamed at him, tucking strands of hair behind her ears as she made her way back to her own car. She waved at him before sliding into the seat and driving away.

Tommy watched her car drive into the distance, turning onto a side street. He sighed, removing his cap and running a hand ragged through his hair.

“Who was that? She’s a pretty one.”

He glanced over his shoulder, to see no one other than Polly, leaning in the doorway, cigarette dangling from her fingertips. Tendrils of smoke blew from her nostrils, she was smirking, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

_Here we fucking go._


	13. A Contract

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time writing this chapter for some reason :( I'll be back with an update on Sunday! I hope you enjoy :)

**ONCE** Auddie parked outside of Malcolm’s apartment, she slammed her forehead against the steering wheel.

_When will I hear from you again? I hate asking that. But I want to be selfish._

She started repeatedly thumping her head against the wheel.

“So embarrassing.” Auddie groaned, reaching for her satchel on the passenger seat and slinging it over her shoulder. “Can I ever just play it cool? Just once?” Her heels clicked against the cobblestone as she made her way to the front door. She fumbled with her keys and eventually forced the door open with her body.

“Welcome home, Miss Fraser.” Mary smiled at the top of the stairs, holding a wicker basket filled with towels. “Can I get some tea for you?”

“Oh, yes.” Auddie sighed, kicking her shoes off. “Please. Thank you.” She trudged up the stairs, her satchel dragging against each step. Hobbling down the hall and into the parlor, she immediately collapsed onto the sofa, arms and legs splaying out.

_I’m so stupid. After two weeks of unexplained silence, you beg for his attention? Idiot._

She squeezed her eyes shut, frustration building up at the base of her skull. 

“Miss,” The voice of Mary tore Auddie from her inner turmoil. She placed a shiny silver tray on the table beside her and nodded, then quickly stepping out of the room. 

As she poured milk into her tea, she began focusing on how horribly _cliche_ she was. It was probably pathetic, her descent into mooning over her brother’s business partner. God, she wanted to throw up.

She cringed as she replied the events from the past two days with him over in her head. She desperately tried to be coy, clever, witty- especially around him. Tommy. Instead, she felt like a little girl trying to play grown-up. _She_ wanted to leave _him_ wanting, curious, interested. Her stomach twisted into knots. She couldn’t put a pin on Tommy’s personality. He must have liked her, at least a little bit, or else he wouldn’t have kissed her. Right?

Lost in her thoughts, she stirred the spoon so vigorously that tea was starting to splash over the rim. Cursing, she quickly dabbed at the spillage with her sleeve. And then, she started to cry.

It was the first time she had cried since, well, her mother had passed away. She didn’t even know _why_ she was crying. She leaned over the arm of the sofa, hot tears running down her cheeks. She didn’t even feel especially sad. But there she was, crying anyway.

Perhaps she was overtired. She had a long day, everything always felt terrible after a long day. Once she got some sleep, she was (almost) certain she would feel better. She finished her tea in one final sip and attempted to tidy up the platter before retreating to her bedroom for the evening.

One of her brother’s unnamed maids helped her prepare a bath. After pouring herself a generous amount of lavender salts into the steaming tub, she lowered herself in. She dunked her head under the water, hoping that maybe there she could escape her thoughts.

She had a wonderful day, she couldn’t understand why she felt so glum. It didn’t make sense.

After bathing and changing into her most comfortable pajamas, which consisted of an old cotton shirt, she threw herself into bed, burrowing herself under a mountain of sheets and pillows. She couldn’t pinpoint why she felt so defeated. Did she miss Malcolm? Her mother? Maybe starting this new job was too much of a reminder of her mother. Perhaps she would phone Tommy the next day, and politely tell him she wasn’t interested in the position anymore, she was sure he would- _Tommy._

Was he the catalyst? 

Truthfully, the two weeks of silence from him were eating away at her. Along with how strange he had been when she was dropping off the envelope at his office. If she had never dropped it off, would he have even spoken to her ever again? If didn’t want to see her, why did he kiss her? Why did he still insist on helping her find a job? She couldn’t read him, or his intentions.

A pang of worry shot through her chest. The more she thought about him, the more she realized that she didn’t know much about him at all. She knew his business, she knew he liked horses, but really, there wasn’t much else. Did that frustrate her? The mystery of it all? What did she mean to him?

She didn’t know much about him at all. She knew his business, she knew he liked horses, but really, she didn’t know much else. Did that frustrate her? The mystery of it all?

With a heavy sigh, she pulled her comforter up to her nose and squeezed her eyes shut. A million thoughts buzzed in her head. Was she frustrated at her feelings for him? At how soon they bubbled up into her chest? Maybe she was just lonely, and was projecting that onto him. He was the first new _“friendly”_ (she used that term loosely) face, she had met here after all.

It was probably just a crush. She was just bored and lonely. He was handsome, and kind to her, for the most part. She was positive these feelings would fizzle out.

*******

The sun trickled in through her bedroom window, lighting her hair like a fiery halo. Blinking, Auddie tossed an arm over her eyes and groaned.

She felt better after a good night’s sleep. Sure, she spent most of the night tossing and turning, along with contemplating her place in the world, but she must have slept for at least three hours. That was good enough for her.

Sitting up against her headboard, she smiled at the tray of coffee and toast beside her bed. Leaning over her mountain of pillows, she grabbed the handle of the mug and took a long sip. The day couldn’t be too bad after coffee.

The rest of her morning was rather uneventful. She tried to stop pacing throughout the house, especially by Malcolm’s office. It was just a regular day, there was no need to waste her time thinking about _him._ He wasn’t a priority in her life, just an… added benefit on the backburner. Yeah, that was it.

She couldn’t help that after lunchtime she found herself in Malcolm’s office. She had not written in her journal for some time, since the night she spent at Tommy’s home, and thought that since she had a bit more free time, and her heart felt less melancholic, she could write a bit more.

Propped up on Malcolm’s desk by her elbows, she read lazily flipped through each page. She tapped the tip of her pen against the desk, thinking about what home meant. After being alone for so long, with Malcolm away on work, and Tommy being confused, she felt uninspired. Maybe writing about home wasn’t worth it after all. Maybe it was just a waste of her time.

Lost in thought, she brought the pen to her lips, maybe she could write _something._ Coffee in the morning from Mary felt like home, cooking a mushroom casserole felt like home too, well, whenever she was able to do it right. Practicing the art of tossing blueberries into her mouth...

The phone started ringing. 

Flinching, Auddie snapped the journal shut and slid it across the desk as she reached for the phone. Before picking it up, she hesitated, taking a deep breath. Could it be? So soon?

“Hello?”

“Auddie? That was quick. Are you in my office?” 

“Malcolm?”

“The one and only.”

“I’m gonna throw up.”

“I have that effect on people,” He sighed. She could picture him melodramatically running a hand through his hair. “My looks and charm are just too much for the average person to handle, they become so enamored by me, that they just throw up.”

“I see your time in Boston hasn’t ruined your sense of humor.”

“Nothing, not even Boston, not even _Douglas_ , could ruin it.”

“A shame.” Auddie clicked her tongue, shaking her head.

“You’re terrible!” He laughed, it made her smile. “How are you? I wanted to check in and give you a quick call.”

“I’m just fine. How are you?”

“Bored as all hell.” He yawned. “Are you taking care of _Chateau de Malcolm_? And my sweet, sweet car?”

“They’ve both never been better.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” He replied he had to have been grinning. “Anything new with you?”

She chewed on her lip, unsure of how to explain her... _acquaintanceship_ with Tommy. Shaking a few strands of hair out of her face, she decided she would go with a half-truth, and skirt around the kissing bits. That would probably be better for everyone involved.

“I spoke with Mr. Shelby the other day,” Auddie began, biting at her thumbnail. “I took him up on his job offer.”

Malcolm, for once, was silent on the other line. He cleared his throat and began speaking, his normally jovial tone was taken down a few notches.

“You did?”

Auddie blinked, she couldn’t read his reaction. She thought he would be excited. “Well, yes. I toured the place with him yesterday. It's a small private practice, Honorhall House in Birmingham. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it.”

“Ah.” He replied, his voice cracking. “How was that?”

“It was great. I really liked it.” She twirled a piece of hair around her finger, absently smiling at her memory of the day.

“Well, that's good.”

_What an... empty response._

“Yes.” She replied. Truthfully, she was taken aback at his lack of emotion in his reaction. She thought he would’ve been... happier for her? He was the one who suggested for her to get a job, after all. Malcolm’s attitude completely changed after Tommy invited her to ride horses with him, alone. Tommy. It all seemed to revolve around him. Maybe her brother was more overprotective than she realized, or worse, what did he know that she didn’t?

A heavy sigh from Malcolm amidst their silence tore her from her thoughts. Gathering whatever bits of courage she had left, Auddie decided that she would just, well, ask him straight-on.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Go for it.”

“What do you think of Mr. Shelby?” She paused, mulling over her words.

“What brought this on?”

“Curiosity.” She continued, “I wasn’t trying to offend you, or make you uncomfortable, or anything. I was just curious.”

“I think he is,” He exhaled, clearly thinking through his words. “Decent. I’ve told you that before. He’s decent enough, but he is a hard man. Rough around the edges.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“I told you that back when you thought he was _“smug and cold,”_ my, how things change,” Malcolm grumbled, sarcasm lacing his tone. “In fact, you said that just the other day.”

“I also told you _the other day_ that “things change” Malcolm.”

“Very quickly, it seems.” He snapped back.

“There’s no need to be snippy.” Auddie furrowed her eyebrows together, gripping the phone tightly. “It was just a simple question.”

Malcolm sighed. “I’m sorry. It's just,” she could hear him shuffling papers around. “Mr. Shelby is a hard man. He’s great at business, undoubtedly, but- he’s cutthroat, Auddie. Everything he does is calculated and cutthroat.” He almost sounded like he was pleading with her.

“How did you even meet him?”

“Mutual connections,” He replied, a little too quickly for her liking. “That’s not important. What’s important is that he is a hard man. No nonsense.” Malcolm’s voice grew louder with each sentence. “He was in _the_ war. Won medals for it. That changes a man. Hell, the US didn’t even enter the fray until the last year of it, so he was there for what, four years? Digging in trenches. Terrible business.” 

“What’s your point?” She asked, a mixture of nerves and frustration bubbling in her stomach.

“My point is, Auddie, he runs his business and _life-_ like it’s still going on.”

“It sounds like you’re trying to deter me from him.”

“I’m just answering your question.” He continued voice ominously monotone.. “I’ve worked with him for a while now. You’ve just met him.”

She couldn’t believe this was Malcolm. There was no way this was her brother. She hated his tone of voice. She felt like a little girl, being scolded.

“It feels like you’re answering for a little more than just that.” Auddie retorted.

“I’m not trying to nag on you, Auddie.” Malcolm huffed. “I’m telling you what I think and _know_ about him.”

“I know.” She tucked her hair over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she drummed her fingers on the desk. “Well, I should leave you to it then.”

“I’m just looking out for you. You are my favorite sister, after all.”

“I didn’t ask for you to look out for me.” She smiled, although small. She could almost taste venom on her tongue. A pang of sorrow shot through her chest. “And I’m your only sister.”

When she hung up the phone, she considered scribbling _‘phone calls with Malcolm feel like home’_ into her journal, but after his tone of voice and their whole conversation, well, that would just be a lie. He was being... unnecessarily touchy when it came to Mr. Shelby.

Auddie went back to flipping through her journal, making little notes on old passages she had written, until the phone rang once again. She figured it was Malcolm calling back to apologize for being such an ass.

“Listen, Malcolm, I’m your only sister, that line won’t work on me forever.”

“Ah, Miss Fraser, good afternoon.”

She felt a lump in her throat, her heart rattling against her ribcage. She didn’t expect him to call her so soon, and she didn’t expect to feel so... excited. Especially after her conversation with Malcolm.

“Tommy, hi,” She straightened her posture in the chair. “How are you?”

“Fine, just fine.” He replied. “And yourself? Sounds like I wasn’t the person you were looking to speak to.”

“No, no, I’m happy to hear from you.” She answered, nervous all of a sudden. “I’m fine.” She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, cringing at herself. “I think I’d be better if you stuck with calling me Auddie, though.”

“Can’t help myself sometimes.” She heard him chuckle, and then sigh. “I like how Miss Fraser sounds.”

Auddie rolled her eyes, a small smile pricking at the corners of her lips. A tinge of sorrow still lingered in her chest.

“Anyway,” He cleared his throat, a lilt to his voice. “I apologize for the short notice, but I was hoping to speak with you soon. About Honorhall.”

“Oh,” She replied, fiddling with a spare pen cap in her hands. “How soon?”

“Tomorrow.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Luckily for you, I think my schedule is clear.”

“Tomorrow it is then.” He clicked his tongue. “6 pm, I’ll come by then.”

“Do you need my address?”

“Already have it.”

Tommy spoke so matter-of-factly, that Auddie had no idea what to say.

 _A smart woman would pause, and think it over. Maybe tell him she’ll call him back, that she actually checked her schedule and something came up_ she thought to herself, grimacing. 

Before she could take that moment to rationally think over her response and perhaps play coy, she started speaking. 

“That’s perfect.”

_I’m a traitor to myself._

*******

Auddie was on edge all day. She stared at the clock on her bedroom wall, ticking away slowly. She was torn between excitement and dread regarding Tommy’s visit. There was also a bit of sorrow brewing in her chest. Her conversation with Malcolm left her a little sore. He was so... uncharacteristically _unlike_ himself.

She sat in front of her vanity, brushing through her hair. No, she wouldn’t curl her hair. She wouldn’t get dressed up for him. She would let her hair be natural, long, and wavy. Simple. Keep it simple. 

Definitely no lipstick.

She tucked a blush colored blouse into a pair of tweed pants, for a cinched waist. Casual. Normal. Maybe she was trying a little bit.

They weren’t in a relationship. He was just helping her find a job. Pure business. They just kissed sometimes. It was fine.

Her thoughts always seemed to shift to Tommy. Christ, she barely knew him, and here she was, mooning over him like a schoolgirl. Pathetic. She rolled her eyes at herself. 

As soon as the grandfather clock chimed for the sixth hour, there was a sharp knocking at her door. Auddie practically skipped down the hall and to the front door, dodging one of the many maids who flitted about. She subconsciously smoothed out any flyaway hairs with her palms before she opened the door.

And there he was.

Tommy stood at her front step in his glasses, with a navy blue suit, crisp white buttoned-down shirt, and a pair of dark loafers that matched his deep chestnut-colored briefcase, his dark hair neatly parted.

Auddie felt so silly for being dressed so casually. Her gaze traveled to his shoes. _They’re still so shiny._ She glanced at her own bare feet. _And I’m still a mess._

“May I come in?” He quipped, smirking, as she stared at him for a few moments too long.

“Oh, yes, right.” Auddie stepped aside, blushing, awkwardly extending her arm. “Please come in.”

She led him up the stairs to the parlor.

“No satchel?” 

“Hush.” Auddie shot him a look, smiling.

She nodded toward the liquor cabinet in the corner of the room. “Drink?”

“Please.”

Tommy stood in front of the bay window, briefcase by his feet, hands shoved into his pockets as he stared out at the cityscape. The sun was beginning to set.

“What would you like?” She called to him from over her shoulder, a bottle in each hand. “It's on Malcolm.”

He smiled, “Even better.” 

Tommy took long, assured steps across the room to her. He stood behind her, pressing against her back. Auddie was a puddle. 

“Here, let me.” He reached around her, helping her pour each drink into crystalline glasses. 

_Keep it together, it's just business. It's just business._

They clinked their glasses together and sipped (Auddie almost tossed back her entire glass of gin in one go). 

He sat across from her in a worn leather chair, briefcase still at his feet. Auddie sat on the sofa, her feet tucked underneath her.

“Were you working in London today?” Parliament, she figured.

“Yes.” He nodded, resting his drink on the arm of the chair.

Auddie bobbed her head in response. She didn’t know a damned thing about Parliament, and how their politics worked. To save herself from talking in circles, and embarrassment, she kept her mouth shut to play aloof.

They sat in silence for a bit, each nursing their own drink.

“Let's get down to business, yeah?” Tommy began, reaching for his briefcase that sat beside his feet and unclasping it open.

“May I ask you something,” Auddie cleared her throat, tucking her feet underneath her. “Before we get started.”

“Shoot.” He replied while setting his briefcase on the low table in between them.

Auddie was positive her stomach had leaped into her throat. She traced her fingertip across the rim of her glass, desperately trying to appear coy.

“Why,” She began, her voice breathy. “Why,” She paused, the words freezing in her throat as he looked at her nonchalantly, placing paper upon the paper on the desk. He raised an eyebrow at her.

“What happened during those two weeks? After that Saturday I mean.” She swallowed. It was terrible being put on the spot like this, but she had to ask. 

She felt even sillier because she didn’t know him that well, and he didn’t know her that well. The more she thought of it, the more she realized that they didn’t know each other at all. There was no need for this conversation to be had. He didn’t owe her a single thing. 

“Ah.” He hummed, leaning back into the leather chair and lazily crossing one leg over the other. “Question for you.” He nodded his head toward her at the end of each sentence. “How much do you know about me?”

Auddie paused, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. “Not much.” She placed her empty glass on the table, glancing at him as she leaned back on the sofa. “Other than you work with my brother, you’re an MP, and you like horses.”

He blew air out of his nostrils, smirking and nodding his head. “I see.”

Auddie swallowed. “What about my original question?”

“What about it?”

“You haven’t given me an answer.”

“What kind of answer are you looking for?”

“What do you mean?” She had no idea what he was getting at.

Tommy paused, clasping his hands on his lap. “What has your brother told you about me?”

Auddie blinked. “Not much.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Tommy smirked at her. “Malcolm Fraser has never had “not much” to say about anything.”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “He says you’re a hard man.”

“A hard man.” He nodded his head as he repeated the words. “And?”

“You were in the war, that you won medals, not that I’d know much about it, since-” She was rambling, trying to fill the void.

Tommy raised a hand, motioning for her to stop talking.

“I’ll take it from here.” He sat up in the chair, taking his glasses off and placing them atop his open briefcase. “I’m not sure what else Malcolm has said about me, and to be honest, I don’t fucking care.”

His eyes met her, ice clashing with fire.

“You.” He leaned back, stretching his legs out. “You’re a good girl. You come from a good family.” He motioned with his hands all around the room. “My family built a business from nothing. A guaranteed way to make a few enemies, yeah?”

“You’re still not answering my question.”

“Your brother and I agreed that I wouldn’t involve you in my business.” He patted his waistcoat for the cigarette case.

“But here you are, indulging me anyway.” Auddie knitted her eyebrows together.

“I’m a hard man, not a good man,” Tommy smirked, tracing his lips with the end of a cigarette.

“Don’t play coy,” Auddie replied, standing from the couch, watching as he deftly sparked the lighter to life.

Tommy stood, a fresh cigarette perched in between his lips. He exhaled a puff of smoke.

“I’m curious about you.” He began, stepping toward her. “About you, your fucking mushrooms, the fiddleheads. The satchel.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Your hair. You.”

Auddie stared up at him, lips parted slightly.

“But like your brother said,” He paused, his thumb brushing her cheek. “I’m a hard man. I run a hard business. Don’t wanna get you involved.”

She placed her hand over his that cupped her cheek. “I don’t care if you’re a hard man or the Queen of fucking England.”

“You say that now.” He looked at her, _really_ looked at her. Auddie could’ve sworn she saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes, if only for a brief moment.

“I say that now, I’ll say that tomorrow.” She squeezed his wrist. “I’d say that two weeks ago. I want to know you.”

“Your brother won’t like it.”

She looked around the room, incredulous. “Is he here?”

Tommy let out a breathy laugh.

“It’ll have to be our secret.”

“I thought we both agreed secrets were fun.”

“The right secrets are fun.” Their lips barely hovered above each other. Auddie plucked the cigarette from his lips and took a long drag, before tossing it into an ashtray on the table.

“I’d say this is the right secret.” Auddie stood on her tiptoes, inching closer to him. Grabbing the lapels of his coat, she pressed her lips to his. Her hand slid upwards to the side of his neck, her fingertips ghosting by his pulse. His hand found the small of her back, the other cupping her cheek. They held there, for moments, minutes, hours, before she pulled back, wide-eyed staring up at him.

“Now, let's get you to sign that contract, yeah?”


	14. A Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to get back into the groove again, I had a bit of writer's block with the last chapter-- I might make some small tweaks to it today :) thank you all so much for reading! Feedback is always welcome + very appreciated :)

**TOMMY,** once again, found himself in the thick of it. In little bits, he poisoned the women around him. It was all the same, different women each time, of course, but the outcome was always the same. Lizzie, Jessie, May, Grace. Grace. Grace. Grace. Hell, even Polly with her neck in the noose. Ada. Esme. This time was new. It was Auddie, a girl too young and blissfully unaware of what he exactly had done to get where he was. He glanced down at his hands, for a brief moment, he could have sworn he saw inky red stains on his knuckles.

He remembered Malcolm’s warning, that Auddie only knew the pretty side of the business-  _ their _ business. He told her just enough to gain some semblance of trust, a mutual understanding of one another, but withheld the more, compromising information. He wasn’t sure if he was tiptoeing the line of truth for Malcolm’s sake, or hers. 

He found it almost comical that Malcolm had called him a “hard man.” He wondered what else he could have told her about him. It was equally as humorous to him that Malcolm was happy to parade his sister around the shiny parts of their business until they caught interest in one another. Tommy was fully aware that Malcolm did not want Auddie to have any part of him, or his business, or his life. She was grown, she could make her own decisions. But the heart wants what it wants, doesn’t it?

Tommy sighed, the only sounds filling the room being passing cars outside and footsteps in the hallway, housekeepers, no doubt. He sat across from Auddie, fanning an array of documents out on the low table for her to sign.

“You’re an employee of the Shelby Company Ltd now,” He began, a fresh cigarette hanging from his mouth. He tapped his finger on a certain line of text. “Contracted out to Honorhall House for two years.”

Auddie nodded with each word he spoke, pen in hand, ever diligent.

As he looked at her, his mind drifted to his conversation with Polly from the other day.

*******

“Who was that? She’s a pretty one.”

He glanced over his shoulder, to see no one other than Polly, leaning in the doorway, cigarette dangling from her fingertips. She was smirking, but it didn’t meet her eyes.

Tommy forced a smile, giving a curt nod toward the door and filing into the shop with her. Polly followed him into his office, slamming the door behind her. He rounded the corner of his desk and fell into the seat, hands gripping the armrests. Polly slid into a chair across from him.

“Who is she?”

“A girl.” He answered, blatantly ignoring her while he rummaged through his desk for his glasses.

“Oh, she was definitely a girl,” Polly replied, crossing one leg over the other. “She must be barely twenty.”

He rolled his eyes, placing his glasses low on his nose. He thumbed through his diary, keeping his hands busy. “Save it.”

“That must be the reason why you’ve been sulking about here so often.” She waved a perfectly manicured hand in the air. “Lizzie told me.”

Tommy paused, pinching a wrinkled page in between his fingers. “Lizzie told you what?”

He had taken the bait.

Polly smirked at him and held her hand out. “Cigarette.”

Sighing, he reached for the case and snapped it open toward her in one quick movement. She pursed her lips and leaned forward. “Light.”

Ridiculous.

Reaching for his lighter, he sparked the cigarette to life. She sat back in her chair, pleased with herself.

“Lizzie told you what?” Tommy asked again, lighting a cigarette of his own.

She paused, clearly enjoying the switch in power dynamics. Exhaling a cloud of smoke, she held the cigarette daintily in between two fingers. Lifting her chin, she turned her attention to one of the windows.

“Lizzie told me that you’ve been sulking around here, more often than usual.” Polly glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Been spending more time playing bachelor than with your fucking kids.”

“Oh, please.” He stared at her blankly. 

“You’ve been playing bachelor with a young piece of skirt instead of being with your kids.” She scoffed, “Unbelievable.” 

Tommy waved a hand at her. “If you came here to give me a fucking lecture, I don’t want to hear it.”

“I originally came here to ask about the fucking crates.” She snapped back, taking a sharp inhale. The smoke made the room hazy. “But I’ve found out something  _ far _ more interesting. Who is she, Thomas?”

He didn’t want to think about what would happen if Polly found out who Auddie really was. She already wasn’t fond of Malcolm. He couldn’t imagine what she would think or  _ do _ if she put the pieces together and found that Auddie was his sister. The only person who was aware of her identity was Arthur, and it looked like he hadn’t sold him out yet. Perhaps he’d have to gently remind him to keep it quiet later, preferably over drinks.

“Like I said,” He spoke through the cigarette in between his lips. “She’s just a girl.”

“It’s never  _ just _ a girl with you.” She replied, seething. “Especially not a girl like that.”

He scoffed, incredulous. He wished she was there to just nag about the crates.

“You going to tell Lizzie?”

Polly paused, taking a calculated inhale from the cigarette. She turned her gaze back toward the window, lazily exhaling smoke from her nostrils. She simply shrugged in response.

Tommy pointed his cigarette at her. “It’s not your business.”

“Maybe it isn’t.” She answered, still looking out the window. Her brown eyes snapped toward him. “But you wouldn’t have asked me about telling Lizzie if you didn’t have a guilty conscience.” 

He shook his head, lips parted slightly. He started looking out of the window too. Polly stood from the chair, staring down at him. He could feel her eyes boring holes into the side of his face as she took one final drag of her cigarette before stubbing it out on his desk.

White-hot rage clashed with ice.

“Will you at least tell me her name?” She asked, her voice feigning the sweetest innocence. “Or do you not respect her enough for that.”

Enough was enough.

“Always a pleasure, Pol.” He forced a smile, jerking his hand toward the door. “I’ll let you know if Mr. Fraser has any revelations about the crates within the next few weeks.”

Polly smirked, shaking her head slowly. “I feel bad for her.”

He turned his attention back toward the paperwork on his desk.

“You poison them,” She placed her hands on the ledge of his desk, staring down directly at him. “You poison everyone around you in little measures. Women especially.”

The sound of her heels clicking against the floorboard signaled her departure, followed by the doors swinging shut. 

When he was alone,  _ truly _ alone, he slammed his fists against the desk, cursing.

Yes, he was in the thick of it now.

*******

Auddie signed away on each document, pieces of hair falling in her face. “May I ask you another question?” She looked up at him from under her eyelashes.

“Shoot,” He leaned back in the chair, shrugging. “Again.”

The sun dropped lower and lower into the sky, casting hazy shadows across the room. Their crystalline tumblers gleaned. Auddie’s hair was illuminated like a fiery halo.

“What kind of business does your family do?” She asked, eyes back on the paperwork. “It has to be more than imports, exports, automobiles and all that. The shop your Birmingham office is in, what is it?”

“That was two questions.”

“I don’t remember being told I had a limit.”

“Hm.”

“An answer, Mr. Shelby?” Auddie tapped an imaginary watch on her wrist. “The clock is ticking.”

Tommy watched a grin form on her lips as she sat up to look at him, obviously feeling very clever.

“I don’t remember being told I was timed.”

“Well, you are now.”

He rolled his eyes, smiling slightly.

“It’s a betting shop.”

“A betting shop?”

“Bingo.”

“Interesting.” She returned her attention back to the table. “Did that make you a lot of enemies, as you said?”

Tommy nodded his head, laughing internally. “Sure.”

“What do people bet on, at your shop?”

“Horse races.”

“It’s all coming together now.” He could see her smiling as she rested her chin on the heel of her hand.

The sound of pen on paper filled the room. Tommy said nothing, clasping his hands together on his lap while he watched her work.

“May I ask you another question?”

“You don’t have to ask every time.”

“I’m just being polite.”

“Try being blunt sometimes.”

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“The medals my brother mentioned,” Auddie continued, nonchalantly. She had no idea. “What did you earn? Truthfully, I don’t know much about the Great War.”

Tommy could feel the beginnings of a headache creeping into the base of his skull. Somewhere, far away, far from the room they were in, he could hear the scraping of shovels. “Just scraps of metal.”

“Ah,” She looked up at him, perplexed. “Do you still have them?”

“I threw them away.” 

She didn’t understand. How could she? She was, quite literally, a world away from it. Bile bubbled in his throat at the thought of it all. The war, the death, the disease. He took a long drag from his cigarette. That pang of resentment returned to his chest. He didn’t want to be the one to teach her about it. He didn’t want to speak another fucking word about France. While he toiled in trenches at night, she probably slept in a down featherbed. Her brothers, too. He tried to shake it, this feeling, she was just a girl after all. 

There it goes.  _ She was just a girl. _

Auddie looked at him with wide eyes, scanning his face for a reaction. He assumed that she took the hint, and being the polite, proper girl she was, she was trying to make it better. 

He shut his eyes and waved a hand at her. “It doesn’t matter.”

She quickly nodded and continued reading paperwork.

*******

“I’ve read through it all.” Auddie cleared her throat, tucking each document into an organized pile. “And signed just about everything, I think.” She thumbed through the stack in her hands.

“Excellent.” He took the papers from her, balancing a cigarette in between his lips, and neatly placed it inside of a folder before putting it back into his briefcase. “I’ll speak to Honorhall tomorrow and get you set up for your first day.”

Auddie fidgeted in her seat, drumming her fingers against the arm of the sofa. He could’ve sworn he saw her wiggling her toes for a brief moment. 

“Thank you, Tommy.” Her voice cracked through the silence.

He clasped the buckles of the briefcase closed and glanced up at her, eyebrows raised.

“Thank you for helping me with this job.” She gestured all around with her hands. “And for humoring all of my silly questions.”

Tommy shook his head, smoke rolling from his mouth and into his nose as he stubbed the cigarette out.

“There’s no need to thank me,” He rose from the leather chair, taking a few steps toward the bay window. “For the job, or for the questions.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at her from over his shoulder. He watched as she tentatively stood from the sofa and took small steps to stand beside him.

Tommy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. In turn, she tucked an arm around his waist, sighing.

There were a few people milling about on the streets below, with an occasional car motoring by. It had to have been close to eight o’clock. Tommy reached for his pocket watch with his free hand and hummed,  _ seven thirty-two _ . 

They stood in silence, admiring the cityscape. He smirked when he caught her peeking up at him every now and then.

“Where does that leave us?” He looked down at Auddie at the sound of her voice, meeting her wistful and wary gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“You said that my brother wouldn’t like it.” She motioned with her free hand. “Us.”

Tommy smirked, a small laugh escaping his chest. “Yes, I don’t think he would.”

“I don’t think so either,” Auddie commented, her voice small. He could feel her shoulders droop.

He squeezed her closer to him. “Then it’ll have to be a secret.”

She looked back up at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Tommy nodded, his eyes fixated on the stone cityscape beyond the windowpane. Thick clouds of smoke rose from industrial chimneys in the distance, darkening the sky. It would have to be a secret. He didn’t care if Malcolm knew, hell, he didn’t care what Malcolm thought of him at all. He did care, however, at how it would affect her. He also cared what Polly would think. What she would say, what she would do. He cared for Auddie’s sake. What a silly thing.

“It’s a good thing we both like secrets then.” She quipped, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

“Yes,” He mused. “How fortunate we are.”

_ How fortunate indeed. _

They leaned into one another. Tommy lazily brushed his fingers through her hair. The sun trailed strokes of red and orange hues across the sky, evening was rolling into the night. He figured there was about an hour of sunlight left. He reached for his pocket watch once again, gilded gold shining in the light.

“I’ll have to get going,” Tommy cleared his throat, placing the watch back into his waistcoat. “I have a long day tomorrow.”

“Let me show you out.” Auddie looked up at him from under her eyelashes, face flushing. 

He fully turned to her, placing a hand on the small of her back and bringing her closer to him. Tommy pressed his lips to hers, softly, sweetly. He held her there for a while, while the sun sunk lower into the sky outside of the window, only parting when their breaths grew heavy and hands began to wander.

“It’s time for me to go home.” He whispered hoarsely.

Auddie walked with him to the front door, stopping in the foyer to slide on a random pair of boots before stepping outside with him. The sky was growing darker, they stood by his car, the sound of streetlights buzzed to life.

“I’ll let you know what Honorhall says,” Tommy looked at her from over his shoulder as he placed his briefcase on the passenger seat. “Tomorrow, probably.”

“I’ll look forward to your call then.” Auddie shifted from one foot to the other, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Also,” He stood upright. “There’s something you owe me.”

She took a step toward him, a flash of worry flickering across her face. “Yes?”

“The fucking fiddleheads.” He continued, shaking his head with a slight smirk on his lips. “You never cooked the fucking fiddleheads for me.”

A wild grin appeared on her face. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“What do you say? This week?”

“Well, I’ll need to pick some more.” She answered, tilting her head to the side.

“We’ll make a day of it.” Tommy softened his gaze as he looked at her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “A redo, for last time.”


	15. A First

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually like to post on Tuesdays, but I wanted to spend a little extra time editing this chapter! I hope to have the next chapter out by Friday now :) Thank you for reading + commenting, it means the world to me!!

**AUDDIE** stared at her hazy reflection in a cracked bathroom mirror. The room was silent, save for the sound of water dripping into the sink and the buzzing of the lights. She had just arrived at Honorhall House for her first day earlier that morning. Immediately upon her arrival, Sister Abbie greeted her at the door and provided her with a crisp blue uniform to change into. The dress flowed to just below her knees, with short, cuffed sleeves that stopped a little above her elbow. The neckline was high, and Auddie found herself endlessly fidgeting with the collar that itched her neck. 

With a final nod to herself, she tied a heavy cotton apron around her waist and pinned the nursing cap to her head. She spent extra time that morning braiding her hair into a low bun.

Auddie had barely slept the night before, no matter how much she tossed and turned. Once she accepted her fate of a sleepless night, she reached for her journal and scribbled nonsense in it. By the first light of dawn that crept through her window, the pages were filled with meaningless, jumbled thoughts.

Most of her thoughts drifted to Tommy, as they most frequently did these days, and she felt quite silly about it. She felt silly for crying over him, well, she felt silly about a lot of things. A terrifying culmination of anxiety and excitement gnawed at her gut at the thought of their _secret._

Or maybe it was just nerves at the thought of her first day at Honorhall.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she smoothed out the apron, her feet suddenly feeling cramped in the shiny black Mary-Janes she had worn (they were the only shiny pair of shoes she owned). The first of anything was always the worst. 

She couldn’t help but think of Malcolm, too, a sharp pang of sorrow shooting through her chest. She wished she could have spoken to him before her first day, he always made her feel better, knew exactly what to say to make her laugh. After their last conversation, he didn’t seem too pleased about this job for her anyway. Frustration replaced sorrow in the form of a tiny bulb of tension that pulsated at the base of her skull. Hell, he was the one who _suggested_ she got a job here in the first place.

Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the mirror in front of her. She swiped lipstick across her lips and sighed. _This would have to do. I even put on eyeliner._

Auddie took small, tentative steps out into the hallway, clenching and unclenching her fists. She cringed at how clammy they felt. This was her first real job on her own. Before this, she worked with her mother, she had gotten her the job. She was there for her, every step of the way, offering guidance and support at every turn.

Now, here she was, alone, in a strange new place. Of course, she was incredibly thankful to be in this position, to have this opportunity, but still felt so very lonely. Did she miss knowing Malcolm was there? Did she miss her mother? Her secret with Tommy?

Auddie was always close with Malcolm growing up, he was everything to her. She loved her brother, Douglas, of course, but he was cold. He was the polar opposite of Malcolm. Malcolm’s eyes were gray, Douglas’s eyes were brown. Malcolm had light auburn hair, Douglas had dark hair. Where Malcolm was a sunny day, Douglas was the rain clouds rolling in.

Douglas loved Auddie in his own way but rarely showed it. It was always in the form of something superficial, like an expensive gaudy necklace or an embroidered handkerchief, but never anything sentimental. The Fraser business and all of its assets came first to him, and family was somewhere further down the line of importance. 

Malcolm, however, showed his love with his entire being. In his jokes, in his eyes, in the way, he would laugh too loud at anything she said. Similar to their mother, Mrs. Fraser. 

Mrs. Fraser was there for Auddie, another Fraser woman left out. _FRASER & SONS _ had no room for a daughter, or a wife, after all. Auddie adored her. Adored her so much that she followed in her footsteps and chased a nursing career.

Little did she know that she would be taking care of her as she did to her.

Mr. Fraser, her father, spent most of his time with her brothers, coaching them on the business, constantly running through numbers and future plans.

Home. The loss of her mother must have been the catalyst in her search for a sense of home. She couldn’t understand why she didn’t connect the dots sooner.

It was easier to think about her mother after blurting out the story of her passing to a stranger- _Tommy._ How strange it was that grief was easier to swallow after telling a stranger. Strange, it was all very strange.

And then there was Tommy. Despite speaking to him about their _situation_ , she felt a terrible sense of loneliness in her heart. How cliche. Auddie knew that keeping their _correspondence a_ secret would be easier for everyone in the long run. She knew this, and for the most part, accepted it. Was it wrong of her to chase this secret with Tommy? Her brother’s business partner? Someone her brother expressed disdain at her even associating with him?

“Ah, there you are.” Sister Abbie smiled, clapping her hands together. The sound broke Auddie from her daze. “Please, come this way. I want to introduce you to someone.”

Auddie nodded, putting on her best smile. She tried to steady her thoughts by focusing on Sister Abbie’s robes that swished back and forth with each step that she took.

*******

Sister Abbie scheduled for her to shadow a senior nurse named Elizabeth. Auddie followed the nun through winding hallways and narrow corridors until they came to what appeared to be a kitchen. A young blonde-haired woman sat at a tiny table, teacup in one hand and newspaper in the other.

Sister Abbie knocked on the doorframe. The woman looked up, a smile growing on her lips as she noticed them entering the room. She placed her teacup down with a _clink_ and folded up the newspaper. “Sister Abbie.” She beamed, standing from the table and approaching them. “You must be the new girl. Auddie, isn’t it?”

Auddie nodded her head, a tiny bit of anxiety chipping away from her heart. _At least someone knows me._

“Auddie, this is Elizabeth Callow.” Sister Abbie extended a hand toward her, gesturing in between the two of them. “Elizabeth, Auddie Fraser.” They smiled at each other, whispering hushed greetings under their breaths to one another in front of the nun. Auddie felt comically like a little girl being introduced to a new “ _friend_ ” by her mother at church.

Elizabeth stuck out a perfectly-manicured hand toward her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Thank you.” Auddie flushed. “You as well.” She felt horribly underdressed beside her (despite their matching outfits), and also became painfully aware of how uneven her own fingernails were.

Elizabeth wore the same uniform as her, down to the slick Mary-Janes, but somehow, she made it look regal, elegant. Auddie instead felt like a puffed pastry in the dress. Elizabeth’s honey-colored hair was cropped short and delicately framed her face. Her green eyes seemed to almost twinkle as she looked on at Auddie.

“You’ll be shadowing Elizabeth for the time being, while you get used to Honorhall.” Sister Abbie continued.

“I look forward to it.” Auddie curtly nodded her head.

“Well,” Sister Abbie clapped her hands together. “I’ll leave you both to it then. Elizabeth will know where to find me if you need anything.” With a turn on her heel, she exited the room, the sounds of her footsteps waning as she walked down the stone hall.

Elizabeth grinned at Auddie. “Please, call me Liza. I’ve told Sister Abbie a thousand times now to call me that, but she just doesn’t get it. _Elizabeth_ this, _Elizabeth_ that. Jesus, it makes me want to gag.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Shit- _shoot._ I shouldn’t say that name in vain, especially in a convent. Oops.”

“Why not Elizabeth?” Auddie asked, tilting her head to the side and hardening her gaze on a particularly dusty corner of the room, in an attempt to stifle a laugh. There had to be spiders in there. She shuddered.

Liza rolled her eyes. “Elizabeth makes me feel like my grandmother. So old.”

“Oh, I don’t think it sounds old.” Auddie smiled.

“If you saw my grandmother, you’d understand.” Liza quipped. “Tea?”

“Please.”

Liza nodded and turned toward the wooden counter that framed the perimeter of the kitchen. She stood in front of an old rusted white stove and reached for a silver kettle that sat on the farthest burner. The room was particularly tiny, Auddie estimated that only four or five people could comfortably fit inside. 

“I peeked at your resume,” Liza called from over her shoulder. “I’m afraid this place will be a little dull.”

“I don’t think so,” Auddie replied. Her eyes trailed all across the room. Peeling pink and yellow floral wallpaper was pasted onto each wall. She couldn’t tell if it was intentionally yellow, or if time had made the wallpaper turn yellow. _Frightening._

Elizabeth grinned, scoffing. “You say that now,” She waved a hand in the air for Auddie to sit at the table. “It’s all about delivering babies and helping old men through a winter cough.” She picked up the kettle and held it up to her, crossing the tiny expanse of black and white tile floor to take a seat beside Auddie.

“The wallpaper was pink and white before,” Liza smirked as she poured. “It’s terribly ugly.”

Auddie stifled a laugh. “I don’t think it's ugly.”

Liza clicked her tongue. “Lying is a sin, especially in this holy house.”

Oh, Auddie liked her.

“So,” Liza asked, her eyes flicking toward Auddie and back to the tea. She pushed the cup toward her. “How’d you find out about this place?”

“Thank you.” Auddie took a small sip. “I was referred.”

“By who?” Liza placed the kettle onto a cloth and took a generous sip of her own. “If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

Auddie shook her head. “Not at all. It was Mr. Thomas Shelby. He referred me and contracted me out.”

Liza raised her eyebrows, red lips parting slightly. Catching herself in a daze, she took a quick sip of her tea. “Of the Shelby Company Ltd?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Ah,” Liza took another vigorous sip, with a little more slurping this time. “Are you two well acquainted?”

Auddie’s cheeks flushed. “I would think so. He works with my brother.”

“Oh,” Liza nodded her head slowly. “Very nice.”

There was a pause in the conversation, silence dipping into the room. The wind tossed and twisted moth-eaten curtains from a half-open window on the wall behind them.

Liza tucked a tiny curl behind her ear and cleared her throat. “It’s interesting. I didn’t think we’d have an American working here at this tiny place. No one knows about it. Just goes to show how many connections Mr. Shelby has, eh?”

“Is he well known around here?”

Liza pursed her lips. She blinked slowly, quite obviously mulling over her words, before taking another slurpy sip of tea. “He sure is well-renowned for his business ventures. Especially around these parts.”

 _Hm._ Auddie chewed on her bottom lip. Her mind drifted to her conversation with Malcolm. _He’s great at business, undoubtedly, but- he’s cutthroat, Auddie._

Liza quickly switched the topic of the conversation after that. Encouraging Auddie to finish her tea so she could properly show her around. Little did Auddie know that being “ _properly shown around_ ” was all of Liza’s secret spots for smoking cigarettes throughout the day. 

*******

By the time evening had rolled around, Auddie’s hair was a disaster. She stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror and frowned. So much for the braids. Placing her nursing cap on the passenger's seat beside her satchel, she begrudgingly undid her bun and combed through her hair with her fingers.

Auddie thoroughly enjoyed her time with Liza. The nerves she felt fluttering in her stomach were practically wiped away, and she believed that was thanks to Liza. She made her feel welcome like she would belong, perhaps even at home. Auddie rolled her eyes at herself, _cliché._

It didn’t stop her from grabbing her journal and quickly scrawling _‘Liza made me feel at home.’_

“Maybe being a cliché isn’t so terrible.” She muttered to herself, snapping the journal closed and shoving it back into the satchel.

*******

Auddie underestimated how tiring the drive from Malcolm’s to Honorhall would be. She trudged up the stairs, untying her apron and dragging it down the hallway with her.

Once in the sanctity of her own bedroom, she tossed her uniform onto the bed and changed into her robe. There was a knock at the door as she tied the sash of her robe around her waist.

“Come in,” Auddie called from over her shoulder, frowning at how wrinkled the silk had become. She really had to take better care of her clothes. 

Mary stood in the doorway, gray hair scooped into a neat bun atop her head. “Good evening, Miss.” She took a step forward, balancing a wicker basket between her arm and waist. “Would you like me to take care of your uniform?”

Auddie smiled, embarrassed at the state of her wrinkled robe. _Just in the nick of time._

“Thank you, Mary.” Auddie scooped up her uniform from the bed and crossed the room toward her. “You are a lifesaver.”

Mary clicked her tongue, humming in response. “Did you have a nice first day?” 

“I did,” Auddie began, voice trailing. “Exhausting, but enjoyable. Thank you.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Miss,” Mary replied, tucking her uniform into the basket. “I’ll have this properly laundered for you by tomorrow. Get some rest.”

Auddie nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. As the door clicked shut, she collapsed onto the bed. Sleep deprivation pulsated in her temples, she tossed her forearm over her eyes and groaned. 

She desperately wanted to crawl under her covers and drift off, but another part of her itched for her journal. She just wanted to write a few more thoughts down. This was the first day of her _first_ job across the ocean, all on her own. She wanted to remember everything about it perfectly. She wanted to remember everything about it, and everyone who was involved, from the nurses and sisters in the convent, too, well, Tommy.

Sighing, she rolled across the bed to the banister where her satchel hung. It was a battle, blindly fishing through all of the miscellaneous items inside of the bag in search of her journal. She really had to clean it out soon. Eventually, she retrieved it, a few objects clattering to the floor in the process. _I’ll pick them up in the morning._ Smoothing the pages out in front of her, Auddie held her chin up by the heel of her palm and began scribbling indiscriminately.

*******

It had been about a week since Auddie’s first day at Honorhall. Despite the fact that she still trailed Liza around like a lost duckling, she slowly, but surely, was getting a hang of the routine. The mornings were spent looking through patient logs, answering the phones, helping the children get ready for school, all while listening to Liza gossip about her neighbors in the process. The afternoons and evenings were much of the same, it was too soon for Auddie to go for any home visits just yet. 

The most work she had done on her own was clean up a few cuts and scrapes the children had gotten while playing outside.

Auddie was surprised at how much she enjoyed working with the children. She never had the opportunity to work solely with them before, not like this. Telling them about horses while she treated a cut, listening to their imaginative stories while wrapping a bandage around their finger, helping braid a girl’s wild hair into a braid. Day by day, interaction by interaction, the nerves she felt about her job cracked away more and more, just like that bathroom mirror.

“Next week,” Liza began, taking a long drag from the cigarette she had positioned between two fingers. “I’ll take you on some housecalls with me. What do you think?”

Auddie found herself tucked away in the back garden with Liza, hidden between a particularly thorny rose bush and stone wall that marked the perimeter of the property.

“I think that sounds wonderful,” Auddie replied, flinching as she pricked a finger on a thorn. “Remind me, why do you smoke in this place again?” She wiped the tiny bead of blood onto her apron. At one point, her apron was perfectly crisp and clean (all thanks to the deft work of Mary’s laundering craft), but now? It was almost unrecognizable, covered in a variety of stains, ranging from dirt, tea, and blood. 

“Because,” Liza drawled, exhaling smoke from her nostrils. “No one's going to come back here. I mean, look at this rosebush.” She wildly gestured with the cigarette. “Thorns everywhere.”

Auddie smirked, rolling her eyes. She held her scratched palms in front of her face and shook her head. “I suppose you have a point.”

“Of course I do.” Liza dropped the cigarette on the dirt and stubbed it out with her shoes. “I’ll come to clean this up later. Off we go now.”

“What about the smell?” Auddie raised an eyebrow.

“Oh shit.” Liza jerked a thumb over her shoulder and knelt on the ground. She removed a misshapen cobblestone from the wall and retrieved out a vial of perfume. “Here, put this on.”

“You have a hidden stash of _perfume?_ ” Auddie blinked, incredulous.

“Duh,” Liza grinned, spritzing it all over herself. “Your turn.” Auddie winced at the assault of the sickly sweet rose aroma.

“All of this for a cigarette?” Auddie waved a hand all around, trying to get the scent to dissipate faster. 

“Just one cigarette a day, it's a treat.” Liza winked at her. “Alright, alright. Maybe two. Four if it's a bad day. The nuns don’t like it, the smoking. Honorhall has made me crafty in regards to my indulgences.”

*******

Liza insisted that Auddie leave early that afternoon, promising that she would keep her busy with housecalls the following week.

With a final wave goodbye to Liza, Auddie stepped out onto the sidewalk and let out an exasperated sigh. She shielded her eyes with an arm across her forehead, enjoying the sun warm her face as a cool breeze brushed across her skin.

She shook her hair free from the braids. Sighing with relief, she massaged an ache that formed at the nape of her neck. Tucking her cap into her bag, she folded her apron over her forearm and trudged down the street toward her car. Well, Malcolm’s car.

Auddie reached for the car door and attempted to open it. It didn’t budge. She tried again, with a little more force this time. No dice. _Locked_. 

Cursing, she knelt on the ground to fumble through her satchel for her keys. She mentally kicked herself for carrying around so much useless junk in her bag at all times. Just as she was about to dump all of her belongings onto the cobblestone sidewalk, she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

“Forgetting something?”

Auddie glanced over her shoulder, her gaze snapping up from a pair of suspiciously shiny dark shoes up to narrowed blue eyes, barely hidden by a cap.

Tommy towered above her with a characteristic cigarette in his mouth, and a ring of keys dangling from his fingertips. _Her_ keys.

“My keys,” Auddie replied, dumbfounded. She scrambled to her feet, sheepishly dusting the dirt off of the skirt of her dress.

“She tipped me off.” He jerked his head back toward Liza who leaned out of the front door, wildly waving an arm at her.

Auddie waved back, cupping a hand over her mouth to shout. “Thank you!”

Liza lingered in the doorway for a moment, before disappearing back into the building.

“And thank you.” Auddie flushed, holding out her palm toward him.

“Please,” Tommy smirked, jingling the keys before stepping toward her car and opening the back door. He reached for her satchel on the ground and tossed it into the backseat.

“Well, thank you for that too.” Auddie followed suit, standing beside him and placing her neatly folded apron into the car.

“What can I say,” He elbowed the door shut, his voice muffled against the cigarette in his mouth. “I’m a real gentleman.”

“A humble one too.” Auddie quipped, grinning to herself. Tommy blew air out of his nostrils, dropping the keys into her palm. “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking up on you.” He hummed, reaching a hand into his jacket and pulled out an envelope. “And I wanted to give you this.”

“Oh,” Auddie blinked, gingerly taking the envelope in her hands. “What’s this?”

“Your payment.”

“My payment?” She echoed.

Tommy scoffed, motioning to Honorhall behind him.

Auddie squeezed her eyes shut, gently knocking the heel of her hand against her forehead. “I’m an idiot.”

“You didn’t think you were working for free, did you?”

“My mind is all over the place.” Auddie shook her head. “Thank you, for this.” She wagged the envelope in her hand. “You didn’t have to bring this to me, I could’ve come picked it up.”

“Don’t think anything of it.” His eyes snapped from her to a car that motored by, taking a sharp inhale from the cigarette.

“Does this mean you're my boss now?”

He shrugged, “More or less.”

“Hm.” Auddie grinned, shifting from foot to foot. “Boss and employee? I think we’re tiptoeing a dangerous line.”

Tommy smirked. “The line has already been crossed.”

Auddie blushed, her eyes trailing down toward her shoes. 

“I had another question for you.” She looked back up at him at the sound of his voice.

“I thought that this weekend,” He exhaled, smoke lazily rolling into his nostrils. “You could come to my house. Ride horses. Pick those fucking plants.”

Auddie beamed, clutching the envelope tighter. “I’d love to.”

Tommy smiled slightly, tossing the cigarette on the ground and stamping it out. “With your permission, of course,” he shoved one hand into his pocket. “I could arrange for your horse, Belmont was it? No, Belmont Jr, to get moved to my stables. For this weekend, or,” he emphasized each word with a jerk of his free hand. “Indefinitely. It's up to you.”

“Tommy,” Auddie couldn’t stop the grin from growing on her lips. “That would be… wonderful. I don’t know what to say.”

He shook his head. “Nothing. Consider it done.”

“Thank you.” 

“No,” Tommy removed his cap to run a hand through his hair. “Don’t thank me so much.”

“You’ve done so much for me.” Auddie continued, her eyes scanning his face. The cap sat low on his brow, casting shadows that emphasized the hard edges of his cheekbones. “It's the least I can do.”

He waved her off, scoffing. “This weekend it is then.”

“It's a date.”

“A date.” He hummed, looking down at her from under the brim of his cap.

Auddie blushed, taking a step back. _A stupid thing to say._

“If it's a date,” He cleared his throat, closing the distance between them. “I’ll pick you up.”

“No,” Auddie shook her head. “That’s too far. You don’t have to do that.”

“What did I say? I’m a real gentleman. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning, 10 o’clock.”

Auddie stared at her shoes, a devilish smirk playing on her lips.

“Does that mean you promise to drive me home this time?”

Tommy parted his lips, scoffing for a moment before a small smile appeared.

“Yes, I promise.”


	16. An Invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much fun to write!!! There is a little bit of everything in it :,) I was so excited to post that I didn't edit it as much as usual, I'll be coming back throughout the day to make tiny tweaks-- I apologize if there are any glaring errors! 
> 
> Thank you again for reading and commenting :) I hope you are enjoying the story, this has been so much fun for me. I'll see you all on Sunday with the next chapter!

**TOMMY** pulled up in front of Malcolm’s townhouse. He thought of tapping the horn, but this was a _date_ after all. Glancing at his reflection in the rearview mirror, he ran a hand ragged through his hair and placed his cap atop his head. He could hardly believe himself. A _date_. Thomas Shelby on a date? Wonders never cease.

With one hand shoved in his pocket, he raised the other to firmly rap at the door. Before his fist could even hit the glossy wood, it swung open to reveal no one other than Auddie, bright-eyed and smiling up at him.

“Good morning,” She grinned. Her hair was braided into a low bun, save for a few strands that seemed to always fall across her face.

“Punctual.” He quipped, nodding his head toward her.

“Always,” She replied. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Tommy reached for the bag at her feet, his eyes catching the figure of an older woman standing at the top of the staircase, her hands tightly clasped together.

Auddie followed him to the car, adjusting the cap on her head while she walked. He tossed the bag into the backseat and opened the passenger’s side door for her, motioning for her to step in. She gave him a hushed ‘thank you’ and slipped in.

The engine rumbled to life. The car jostled with each bump and groove of every uneven piece of cobblestone. He caught her rifling through the bag on her lap.

“How was the drive?” She asked attention focused on the bag.

“Not bad.”

“Thank you again, for picking me up.” She glanced at him for a moment, before returning to her bag.

“No need.” He replied, eyes flicking from the road to her bag. “You ever gonna tell me what's in that damn bag?”

She quickly buckled the flap shut, clutching it close to her body. She clicked her tongue. “You can’t just ask someone what’s in their bag.”

He smirked. “You sound awfully suspicious.”

“It’s a secret,” She huffed, easing her grip on the bag.

“I thought we were dealing in secrets?” He tilted his head toward her slightly, eyes still fixated on the road.

“It’s _my_ secret.”

“Selective now, are we?” He looked at her from the corner of her eye, with one hand on the steering wheel.

“Hush.” She waved a hand at him, turning her head toward the window. “Just keep driving.”

*******

By the time they pulled into Arrow House’s gravel drive, the sun started to break through the clouds.

Auddie leaned forward to peer up toward the sky through the windshield. “Pity. Looks like there won’t be a rainstorm today.”

“Pity.” Tommy echoed, taking a look upward for himself. He caught her staring at him, smirking, as she stepped out of the car. He lingered there for a moment, before shaking his head and elbowing his own door open.

Boots crunched against gravel as they made their way across the drive toward the front door. Auddie trailed behind, staring around at the carved sculpture in the center of the driveway. Tommy scoffed to himself. This house was fucking ridiculous.

A flurry of maids scurried into the foyer at the sound of the door opening. They each muttered a hurried _“Welcome home, Mr. Shelby”_ and “ _Welcome, Miss.”_ He dropped her bag to the floor and wiped his hands together, exhaling. 

“Ready to see your boy?”

“Always.” 

The evening before, Tommy arranged for Charlie and Curly to transport Belmont Jr from Malcolm’s stables out west, to his home. Altogether, he had only about half a day to get this done, and figured they would be the right men for the job.

They arrived at Arrow House late into the night, perhaps even early morning. Tommy was awake, as always, the sound of their truck and wagon sputtering into the driveway alerted him. Apparently, her fucking horse wasn’t as even-tempered as it seemed a few weeks back. It snorted and stamped and bucked throughout the whole journey. Curly rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal quite a few bruises across his forearm. The damned thing was a biter, too.

The look on her face when she saw her horse saddled and tied to a post outside of the stable was worth it though.

Ah, he was going soft.

Auddie cooed and stroked his forehead, getting wild snorts in response. 

“Thank you for bringing him.” She whispered with her back to him. She brushed a few strands of his mane away from his eyes. “Was it difficult?”

Tommy shook his head, smirking slightly. “My men said he was very agreeable.”

“I’m glad.” She smiled. “I haven’t had the chance to visit him properly. Malcolm’s stables are so far away, and I don’t think I could make the drive alone without getting lost.”

“Why don’t you keep him here?” Tommy took a step beside her, patting the horse’s shoulder.

“Won’t Malcolm notice?” Auddie tilted her head toward him, biting her bottom lip.

“I think we have some time before he comes back from Boston.” He replied, more than likely against his better judgment. He would cross that bridge when he got to it.

“Well, when you put it that way…” She drawled, returning to Belmont. “I would like that. To keep him here.”

“Consider it done.”

“Thank you.”

A gentle breeze rolled through the air, creating a symphony of jostling leaves in the trees that surrounded the property. For a brief moment, the fields beyond the stables and the cresting grassy hills looked like a verdant ocean.

“You said your mother liked horses.” He began, their silence made him curious. “How many did she have?”

“Oh, two whole stables full,” Auddie sighed, dreamily. “Just for herself. My father would buy her a new horse instead of diamonds or other jewelry. It was all she cared for.”

“Huh.”

“Cheesy, isn’t it? Horses instead of diamonds.” Auddie asked, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, blushing. “What about your parents?”

He wasn’t sure what she meant.

“What about them?” He gave her a tight-lipped reply, surprised by the sternness of his own tone.

“Did they like horses, too?” She paused, knitting her eyebrows as she fixed her gaze on the horse, clearly realizing she was dancing along the line of a… touchy subject. “Since you mentioned growing up with them, that is.”

“Yes,” He gave his own horse a few heavy-handed pats. “They did.”

There wasn’t much to say about his parents. His mother, nothing more than a faded memory in the back of his mind at this point, and his father, a belligerent cheating drunk who flitted in and out of his life as carelessly as the wind. Tommy didn’t have much to say about his parents at all. Especially not to her.

For a moment, he felt poorly for snapping at her. He started the conversation with her parents after all. 

“Come on,” He jerked his head toward the treeline. “We have some fucking plants to forage.”

*******

Truthfully, Tommy didn’t mind the dirt. In fact, he was used to it. More so than he realized. All of the years he spent growing up in and out of riverside camps, running around barefoot with half-cousins. It was a stark contrast to the life he lived now, what he had now. Whether he liked to admit it or not, that life would always be in his blood. The dirt, the horses, all of it.

He sat atop his horse, watching as Auddie knelt in the brush in search of her precious fiddleheads. When she stood up, the knees of her gray riding pants were covered in mud. She grinned wildly. 

“Good thing I brought this, huh?” She lifted a lumpy burlap sack above her head, the bottom was weighed down by all of her foraged goods. 

“I don’t know what we would have done without it.” He noted, sarcasm lilting in his voice.

Auddie shook her head, dropping the bag to the ground by her feet. She laughed as she attempted to brush off more muck that had splattered onto her shirt. “This is ridiculous.” 

He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. “It is.”

*******

Tommy would remember the sound of Auddie’s laugh as they rode back to Arrow House, both covered in dirt. They trudged into the foyer, her boots were especially caked in mud now.

“Your staff is going to think I’m crazy,” She huffed in between breaths, tugging one boot off at a time. “This will be the second time I’ve brought their boss back covered in mud- _despicable_.”

Tommy smiled slightly. If only she knew. _Better mud than blood_.

Her hair had fallen out of its braids, and instead framed her face with soft auburn curls, and cascading down past her shoulder. She shrugged her wool coat and cap onto the floor, he caught a glimpse of her collarbone as she reached down to pick them up. Her eyes locked with his while she stood up, tucking her coat and cap under her arm. She had caught him staring now.

“Looking for something?” She asked, pursing her lips together in a smirk.

“Let’s get cleaned up, yeah?” He asked, kicking his own shoes off. 

Auddie smiled, flushing. He watched her trail behind one of his unnamed maids, glancing at him from over her shoulder before disappearing up the staircase.

As Tommy washed and changed, he thought of her. Auddie. He dried his damp hair with a towel.

She had rarely spoken about her family. Aside from Malcolm, and mournful mentionings of a deceased mother, she came from nowhere, he knew nothing. Where was her father? Or the other older brother? He would think that she would have an overprotective father looming in the shadows, grief-stricken that his youngest and only daughter traipsed across the ocean to do who knows what. Perhaps he didn’t ask enough questions. Did he even care to know who her family was? He was getting to know _her_ , so what did the others matter?

He stared at his hazy reflection in the bathroom mirror, clearing his throat and buttoning a freshly pressed white shirt up to his throat.

The secret that enshrouded them both, their hushed correspondence with one another, had been the product of his own impulsiveness. The business with the Italians wore him down. The mighty empire he had built, brick by fucking brick, clawing up from the underbelly of Small Heath to the gilded halls of Parliament. All of it forged by his hand, making the hard decisions no one else wanted, and his only reward were palms stained red. That hardened demeanor (he still scoffed at the thought of Malcolm calling him a “hard man”), the walls he had crafted around himself, were toppled so easily by a young and pretty face. He blamed it on the wake of the business with the Italians. That wore him down. Wore all of them down. He had been like this before, in the weeks after Grace’s death. Impulsive and vulnerable.

No, he couldn’t compare Auddie to Tatiana. He kicked himself for even thinking that.

There was something about her that put him at ease. The way she looked at him like he was just a man. He wasn’t Thomas Shelby to her, a gangster skulking around Birmingham. Or Thomas Shelby, the kingpin in London. He wasn’t even Thomas Shelby MP. He was just Tommy. When was the last time he was _just_ Tommy?

They sat in his office, lights dimmed low. He watched her. He wasn’t sure if she noticed, or was just trying to pretend she didn’t see him, but he watched her nonetheless. Red hair still damp, cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

“What does your family think of you gallivanting an ocean away?” It was an honest question.

“They’re fine with it, I suppose.” Auddie paused, sipping her drink thoughtfully. “I think my oldest brother, Douglas, worries. He’s the head of the family now, managing the whole business back in Boston. He’s busy enough.”

 _Head of the business,_ he mused. _No father?_

“I see.”

“I’m surprised Malcolm hasn’t mentioned Douglas,” Auddie commented, eyes flicking up at him from over the rim of her glass.

“I think he has.” Tommy bobbed his head, lazily dragging his gaze across the picture frames that hung on the wall behind her. “From time to time.”

The room was silent, save for the sound of ice tinkling against the glass. Auddie readjusted her position on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her, like always.

“You didn’t have any interest in your family’s business?” 

Auddie laughed, bitterly. She shook her head. “It's called _Fraser & Sons _for a reason.”

“Ah,” Tommy took a measured sip from his own glass, finishing it off. He placed it on the table between them. “Your father was strict about that?”

“Sure, you could say that.”

He had more questions than answers now, it seemed.

“Did your father retire then? If your brother is managing it now.”

“No,” Auddie paused, frozen in time almost. She smoothed out her skirt over her knees, fidgeting with the hem. “He died a long time ago.”

The air around them felt stuffy. Before Tommy could respond, she waved a hand at him. 

“Enough about that. My parents. No need for a girl with two dead parents to kill the mood. Look at all of the fiddleheads.” Auddie motioned to the burlap sack with her free hand. She insisted that she brought the fiddleheads into the office with her, she was too embarrassed to have his house staff have to deal with them for a second time.

“It’s quite the haul.”

“I’ll say.” She smiled, her voice wavering for only a brief moment. 

Tommy stood from his chair, picking up his empty glass and crossing the room toward his desk. He didn’t bother cleaning up the mountain of paperwork that had piled up over the past week. Bringing a fist to his mouth, he cleared his throat.

“I have a question for you,” He paused, “An invitation if you will.”

She nodded slowly, staring at him from the other side of the room. The crystalline tumbler in her hand glinted against the light of the lamp beside her. Her nails were painted red, he never noticed that before. When did she start painting her nails?

He reached for a gilded envelope he had tucked under one of the many fucking horse figurines he had been gifted throughout the years. This was the third Christmas in a row where he had gotten one. 

Tommy held the envelope up and waved it in the air. He took long, assured steps back toward her. She rested her drink on the arm of the sofa and took the envelope from him. Gently, she took the letter from inside. Her eyes quickly scanned from left to right.

“A party?” She quipped, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” He echoed. “A party.”

She was silent, lowering the letter onto her lap.

“I wanted you to come with me, as my guest.”

“What about,” She gestured wildly in the air to no one in particular. “Our secret?”

He shook his head. “It's a party held by the head of veterans affairs. Lots of stuffy old men. No one will be the wiser. We’ll just be two people.”

Auddie smiled sheepishly, while neatly folding the letter back into the envelope. She opened her mouth to respond before the office door flew open. Both of their heads snapped in the direction of the sudden noise. 

Tommy straightened his posture, instinctively reaching for the gun that was tucked in his jacket. 

“Daddy!”

His shoulders sagged. He clenched and unclenched the fist that was mere inches from the gun, fingertips tingling from the sensation of reaching for it. He had completely forgotten he had gotten dressed with one. Force of habit.

“Charlie.” Tommy sighed, stepping toward the little boy who bounded into the room. Frances, ever diligent, followed close behind, streaks of worry painted across her face.

“Mr. Shelby, I am so sorry.” She began, reaching for the boy’s shoulders.

Tommy shook his head, bending over to scoop Charlie into his arms. “No, no, it's fine Frances.”

Frances stood in the doorway, eyes flicking between the three of them. 

“I’ll take it from here,” Tommy lifted a hand to wave her out, voice softening with his son. “Thank you, Frances.” She nodded her head and stepped out as quickly as she had come in.

“Charlie,” Tommy began, turning toward Auddie who was now standing in front of the sofa. “This is Miss Fraser.”

“Hi.” The little boy whispered, tucking his head under his father’s chin. He waved a tiny hand. Auddie took a few steps closer, smiling.

“Hi Charlie,” Auddie waved back, her voice soft. “Your father has told me so much about you.”

Charlie gave her a toothy grin. “Did he?” He looked up at Tommy. “Did you?”

Tommy let out a throaty chuckle. “That I did.”

“Let me think, where to begin,” Auddie tapped a finger to her lips, humming. She gave Tommy a knowing look. “Your father tells me you have quite the collection of cars, is that true?”

The boy’s eyes went wide, vigorously turning his head from Tommy and Auddie. “Would you like to see?”

“I would love to.”

Tommy rolled his eyes, stepping close to Auddie to whisper in her ear, “Now you’ve done it.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. Tommy placed Charlie back on the floor, ruffling his hair. As they were going for the doorway, Charlie stopped, tugging on his father’s hand.

“What are those?” He pointed to the burlap sack on the table. Tommy laughed, actually laughed. Auddie placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her own laughter.

“Yeah, Miss Fraser, what are they?” Tommy asked, nudging her in the side with his elbow.

Auddie crouched down, eye-level with Charlie. “They’re called fiddleheads, and they are delicious.”

Charlie looked suspicious. “Fiddle… fiddle…”

“I was going to make some for your father,” She tilted her head toward Tommy. “Would you like to help me make them?”

Charlie stood there, wide-eyed. He looked up toward Tommy, searching for his approval.

Tommy nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and gesturing with a jerk of his chin. “Go ahead, Charlie.”

Grinning, the little boy turned to Auddie and vigorously nodded his head. She extended a hand to him. He grabbed it, squeezing her fingers.

“Come now,” Auddie led him away, glancing over her shoulder at Tommy. “If you can lead me to the kitchen, I’ll show you my secret recipe.”

The kitchen was empty, save for the crashing of silverware and pans. Tommy peered through the doorway to see Auddie, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, busy working at the counter while Charlie watched beside her, standing on a stool. He silently watched the two of them. Always in the background.

He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he could hear Charlie babbling and see Auddie nodding with each word. Or in this case, the flurry of words that were leaving his mouth.

“Do you have many toy cars, Miss Auddie?”

“I have a whole chest full of them,” She replied with a lilt to her voice.

“Wow,” Charlie gasped, diligently watching her dice up the green vegetables. “I can’t wait to show you mine. I have one that looks like Daddy’s car.”

“I can’t wait to see that one.” 

Charlie giggled.

Eventually, Tommy stepped into the room, clearing his throat to make his presence known. They both glanced at him from over their shoulders, Charlie immediately skipping across the black and white tile floor to greet him. Auddie turned around fully, with a pan of charred green… fiddleheads in her hands.

“Tada,” She grinned, placing the pan onto the counter closest to Tommy and Charlie, neatly placing utensils in front of them as well.

Charlie peered over the counter at the pan, glancing back up to Tommy and giving him a suspicious glance. Tommy just started laughing, again.

“What’s so funny?” Auddie asked, mock irritation in her voice. She was laughing too.

“Nothing, nothing.” Tommy shook his head, “Let’s have a try, eh, Charlie?”

Charlie slowly nodded his head, gripping his fork and spearing it into a particularly smoky looking fiddlehead. Tommy followed suit, smirking at Auddie as he took a bite. She placed a hand over her mouth, snorting with laughter.

Charlie stared up at Tommy, chewing with puffed-out cheeks. After an audible _gulp_ , Charlie placed his fork back on the counter.

“What did you think?” Auddie asked, grinning as Tommy swallowed his own fiddlehead. The boy looked back and forth to Auddie and Tommy.

“It was gross.” Charlie blurted out, very matter-of-factly. 

“Charlie,” Tommy placed his own fork down. “You can’t just say that when Miss Fraser so graciously cooked these for us.”

“Do you want me to lie?” 

Auddie burst out laughing, hunched over clutching her stomach. “They are terrible, aren’t they?”

Tommy smiled himself, Charlie did too. “They were pretty awful. Why would you eat these?”

“They’re good, in their own way,” Auddie replied, sighing while rubbing her teary eyes with the heel of her hand.

“So you know they’re bad, and you made us eat them anyway?”

She shrugged, face red from laughing. “More or less.”

“You’re terrible.” Tommy shook his head, laughter rumbling in his chest.

*******

Tommy put Charlie to bed shortly after the "fiddlehead-fiasco"

Tommy stuck his head out of the boy’s bedroom, “Charlie wants to know if you promise to see his car collection tomorrow morning?”

Auddie placed a hand on her heart, smiling. “I promise.”

“Good,” Tommy replied, rolling his eyes. “He wouldn’t sleep without that promise.” He disappeared back into the room. A few moments later he stepped out, gently closing the door. Moonlight trickled in through the window, casting harsh shadows on the ornate architecture of the hallway.

“Let me show you to your room.” Tommy nodded his head in the direction of the guest wing.

“My room?” She echoed.

He raised an eyebrow. She flushed her gaze glue to the low-hanging light fixture on the ceiling above them.

“You know what I mean,” She huffed. “Let me get changed, quickly!”

Tommy waited outside of her bedroom, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He could’ve sworn he heard her trip over something. He smirked. At the sound of the door creaking open, his eyes flicked toward it. Auddie stepped out, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. 

“I would’ve come to your room myself if I had a map of your house,” She whispered, glancing all around. He smiled, looking at her. She stood there in a dusty pink silk robe, waves of hair cascading past her collarbones. 

He beckoned her to follow with the flick of two fingers. “Follow me.”

Auddie took tentative steps into his bedroom, so soft and deliberate as if the carpet was made from hot coals.

He spotted another cigarette case and lighter on the table beside his bed. When did he have so many of those lying around? He deftly began lighting a cigarette for himself. 

“Cigarette?” He asked, balancing one between his lips. Auddie shook her head. He shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

Tommy let out an audible exhale, smoke lazily rising toward the ceiling. He turned toward her. She stood by the doorway, face flushed and eyes fixed on the floor. 

“You don’t have to sleep in here, you know.”

She flinched at the sound of his voice. He tried his best to stifle a laugh.

“I know,” She paused, clearing her throat. “I want to sleep in here. If you’ll let me.”

He motioned an arm toward the bed, his eyes never leaving her face. “Have at it.” Her eyebrows knitted together.

“Have at it? That’s all you have to say?” 

The small smile on his lips grew. 

“You’re teasing me.” 

He shrugged, smoke rolling from his parted lips and into his nostrils.

“That’s fine.” She turned from him and slipped out of her robe, gently folding it over the back of a chair. “I’ll happily go to bed.” 

When she turned around, Tommy looked at her and sighed. His eyes dragged up and down her frame. She wore a matching satin slip, her chest flushing with her face.

“How dainty.” He commented, placing the cigarette in between his lips.

“Very.” Auddie curtly replied, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs and combing her fingers through her hair. Chuckling, Tommy took a few steps toward her, until he was close enough that he could hear her flighty breaths. Taking her face in his hands, he flicked his icy gaze across her flushed face.

“You never answered my question.” He whispered, his eyes moving back and forth from her eyes and her lips.

“What question?”

Tommy smirked, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. Auddie slid her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes, steel melding into ice, as always. 

“Will you be my guest to that stupid fucking party?”

“Guest?” She echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Or date?” She raised an eyebrow.

Tommy parted his lips slightly, rolling his eyes. Unbelievable. He gripped her thighs, waiting for Auddie to nod before uncrossing her legs so he could stand between them. He kissed her, pulling her closer to him. Her hand found its way to the back of his head, where the hair was cropped short, across his back, down to his biceps.

Tommy pulled away, emitting a gasp from her. “What do you say?” He rested his forehead against hers.“I would love to be your _date.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is 152 pages single spaced in my word doc..... you guys are champions for reading through these long chapters LOL
> 
> Do you like the long chapters? The shortest chapter was like eight pages :,) usually, they range from 10-12 pages omg


	17. A Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited to post the next two chapters hehe!! I love this story so much, your comments mean the world to me and I am so happy you are enjoying it!
> 
> Thank you again for reading :)

**AUDDIE** could hardly believe it. There she was, pressed into Thomas Shelby’s bed, in his beautiful house, with his whiskey on her lips while he kissed her. It had to have been a dream- it could have _only_ been a dream.

Butterflies in her stomach fluttered at the thought of their secret. Their relationship was like the forbidden fruit. Raw excitement flowed through her veins. She took a generous nibble from the apple.

Tommy ran his hands up and down her sides, one of them trailing down to the outside of her thigh where the laced hem of her slip ended. Christ, she never wanted this moment to end.

As excited as she was, and as much as she wanted him, a creeping sense of doubt began to trickle into the back of her mind. Sure, she had packed this particular slip with her for a _reason_ (there was no way she would be staying over his house in one of her cotton nightshirts). It was all just, happening so fast. They were still getting to know each other after all and to be quite frank, Auddie was nervous, and felt painfully inexperienced. This wasn’t her first time with a man, she had a brief stint with a boy named Drew a few years before, but it was nothing like _this._

He ended the kiss to suck at the soft skin of her neck, trailing all of the ways to the base of her throat.

“Tommy,” Auddie whispered, sliding a hand to the velvet hair on the back of his head. 

“Fuckin’ perfect.” He sighed, voice muffled against the crook of her neck.

“Tommy?”

“Hm?” He gave her one final kiss on her collarbone and pushed himself up, adjusting his position to rest on each of his forearms beside her head. 

Auddie blinked, staring up at him. She had forgotten that he lost his shirt in the process, her cheeks burning at just the sight of it.

“You want me to stop?” Tommy searched her face, eyes soft.

“No, no,” She began, cupping his face with her hands. “I don’t want you to stop. I’m just, well, I’ve just, I’m-”

“What is it?” He leaned into her touch. “You can tell me.”

“I’m just,” Auddie huffed. “Nervous. It's stupid. I mean, look at us right now, we’re like, halfway there. I’m being ridiculous- I’m just nervous.”

Tommy was quiet for a moment, eyes lazily scanning her face. He smirked, and turned away for a moment, seemingly trying not to laugh. She covered her face in her hands, hoping that if she squeezed her eyes shut tight enough she would disappear into thin air.

“If I brought that fucking bag of vegetables in here,” He asked, tilting his head back to her. “Would that calm you down?”

Auddie groaned. Not the fucking fiddleheads.

“Hey,” He whispered, chuckling softly, as he pried her hands from her face. “It's alright. I’m just teasing. Not tonight, eh?”

“It's embarrassing,” Auddie huffed, intertwining her fingers with his. She gently brushed her thumb against a particularly raised scar on his hand. “I make you cart me around the woods for dirt and fiddleheads, but I can’t even,” she waved a hand around, “you know.”

Tommy squeezed her hand and pecked her on the lips. “The way you are,” he kissed her again. “It's endearing.”

She furrowed her eyebrows together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It's supposed to mean,” He kissed her jaw this time. “The mushrooms and fucking fiddleheads you care about so much.” He kissed her nose. “That fucking satchel you swing around.” He kissed her forehead. “Your wild fucking hair.” He kissed each of her eyelids. “And how clumsy you are. The way you are. Auddie. It's endearing.”

“I can’t tell if you’re smooth-talking or just reminding me of how much of an oaf I am.” She turned her head to the side, staring at the bunched up pillows by the headboard.

“Oh, please.” He cupped her chin and turned her face back to look at him. “All you Fraser’s must be dramatic.”

“Hey,” Auddie narrowed her eyes, feigning anger. Until she burst out into bubbling laughter, and with all of her might, flipped him over so she was on top, although, she was pretty sure he let her do that. “I’m very agreeable. No dramatics at all.”

He rolled his eyes. “Sure.”

“You’re terrible.” She leaned down to kiss him, his hands traveling to the small of her back. 

“I’ve been called worse.” Auddie smiled into his lips.

Tommy ran a hand through her hair that served as a curtain around them and scooped it all over one of her shoulders. “Let’s go to bed, yeah?”

Auddie looked down at him, lips pursed. “Yeah.”

Tommy pulled back the heavy duvet and tossed it onto the floor. “It’s too fuckin’ hot for this.” The wrinkled pile of fabric served as a harsh reminder that summer was still roaring on. July was only about a week away.

Auddie slid under the sheets while he undressed. Blushing, she pulled the sheet up to her eyes, trying to give him his privacy. She felt him climbing into bed beside her, scoffing.

“Covering your eyes? Aren’t you pious?”

“Shut up.” Auddie grinned, peeking out from underneath. Tommy extended his arm for her to tuck herself into. Resting her head on his chest, she stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

“Thank you for today.” She whispered, voice small.

He squeezed her tighter into his side. “Enough with the thank yous.”

They laid in silence for a while, with Tommy lazily tracing shapes on her arm while Auddie felt the gentle _thump thump thump_ of his heartbeat under her palm that was flat against his chest.

“When can I start asking questions about your family?” 

Tommy glanced down at her. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” She looked up at him for a moment, readjusting her head on his chest, sighing.

“There’s not much to ask about.”

“Not much to ask about, or nothing to answer for?”

He clicked his tongue. “Cheeky.”

“Is this a secret for you too, then?” She asked.

“Yeah.” Tommy paused, for a long while it seemed. Auddie could feel his chin bumping against the top of her head as he nodded. “It's a secret for me too.”

For all of the excitement Auddie felt about their secret earlier, a pang of sorrow shot through her chest, and seemingly, directly through her heart. The crushing fist of reality. She tried to shake the feeling off. Auddie had agreed to this, the secret. She knew what she was getting herself into for the time being. This secret had only just begun. It couldn’t last forever.

Could it?

*******

Auddie grimaced at the sunlight that burned against her eyelids. She flipped her body to the other side and pulled the sheets above her head in a desperate attempt for a few more moments of sleep. With a sigh of contentment, she drifted in between that strange area of dreams and consciousness. In the background, far far away from wherever her mind was right now, she could hear birds chirping, soft footfalls, the creaking of trees in the wind, and yelling. 

Yelling. 

She could hear yelling.

Auddie sat up quickly, knocking an array of pillows onto the floor in the process. Who was yelling?

She stared all around the room, it looked completely different in the daylight. Dark wooden walls surrounded her, while stained glass lamp shades on the tables beside the bed twinkled in the sunlight, and sheer curtains tossed in the breeze from a half-open window. It all looked especially magnificent, in contrast to the harsh shadows and low lamplight that she was used to from the night before.

Tommy’s room. She was in Tommy’s room. In Tommy’s house. She turned her head to the empty space beside her. Where was Tommy? Anxiety gnawed at her stomach. Was he going to do it again?

Slowly, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and hopped to the floor. 

“Fuck.” Auddie muttered to herself. She didn’t think to bring her overnight bag into his room with her last night. She only had this damn slip and her robe.

Raking a hand through her hair, she chewed on her bottom lip. She had two options, hope to God that Tommy would eventually come back up to his room, or traipse around the second floor of his home in, essentially, a negligee, in an attempt to find her bedroom.

Instinctively, she placed a hand on her hair, she could only imagine what wild state it was in. Glancing all around, she could not find a mirror in his room, so she would have to make do with touch. She grimaced as she combed through knot after knot in her hair until something gleaned in the corner of her eye. A ray of sunlight was perfectly reflecting against one of his cigarette cases on his bedside table. That would have to do.

“How convenient.” She muttered to herself, grinning slightly.

Auddie stood in the light of the window and held it up to her face. Her hair was, as expected, a completely disheveled mess. It was curly but wavy. Frizzy, but tame. She cursed herself, she didn’t even sneak a hairbrush with her, and there was no way Tommy had one conveniently lying around in his room. She used all of her luck with the gleaning cigarette case.

She glanced back at her reflection and gasped, slapping a hand onto her neck. At the base of her throat and collarbone were a few... _bruises_. She could feel her face getting warm. There was no way she could be traipsing around his home half-naked with red marks across her neck.

Her attention was pulled from her reflection by the muffled, indiscriminate yelling once again. Placing the case on the windowsill, Auddie took tentative steps toward the door. She pressed her ear against it, trying to make out what exactly was being said, or, who exactly was doing the yelling. By the intonation of their voices, it sounded like a man and a woman. She debated cracking the door open, only a tiny bit, just to hear what was being said. It was a Sunday morning after all, yelling this early was _definitely_ unholy, so it was within her rights to hear what was being said. At least, that was what she was telling herself.

Auddie cracked the door open, peering out at the hallway. Dust particles danced in the filtered rays of sunlight that warmed the hardwood floors. She opened the door a few inches more, so she could stick her face out. She quickly glanced from left to right, checking to see if she was alone. The yelling was more audible now. Auddie sucked in a deep breath and tried to steady the rapid thumping of her heart.

What happened with curiosity and the cat?

Tommy’s voice, she could definitely make out his voice.

_“What… my… life… business… with… you...”_

Then the woman’s voice came into the fray.

_“Terrible… immature… father… absent… selfish...”_

Auddie gripped the doorknob tighter. Who was he arguing with?

The woman again.

_“Polly… girl… I can’t believe...”_

Then Tommy.

_“Not… married… you...”_

Auddie closed the door gently and crawled back into Tommy’s bed, pulling the sheets up to her chin. She felt a pang of guilt, and embarrassment, for eavesdropping.

It could have been moments, minutes, or hours, Auddie wasn’t entirely sure until she heard a familiar pair of heavy footsteps from down the hall. She sat up, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and wiggling out of the sheets she had become entangled in. The door opened slowly, to reveal no one other than Tommy. His gaze softened when he saw her. Auddie smiled at him sheepishly, adjusting the strap of her slip that had slid down her shoulder.

“Good morning,” He cleared his throat, closing the door behind him. He was wearing his glasses. “Aren’t you a sight?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Tommy just smirked in response. He placed her overnight bag by the door and crossed the door toward her. Cupping her face in his hands, he brought his lips to hers. She grabbed his forearms and sighed. He pulled away, reaching his hand toward her hair. Auddie deftly intercepted him, holding his wrist.

“Beware of my hair,” She began, eyes wide. “It looks like a rat’s nest, I don’t want you to get lost in it.”

Tommy rolled his eyes with a slight smile. He settled on brushing his fingertips against her cheekbone. He jerked his head toward the door.

“I brought your bag.”

Auddie smiled, “Can I thank you for that?”

“Yes.”

“Then,” She stood from the bed and reached up to kiss him. “Thank you for bringing my bag.”

“I don’t want to rush you,” He continued in between kisses. “But Charlie is waiting on you to show his cars.”

Auddie squeezed his hand. “Shit- _shoot_ , you’re right. Hold on, let me get changed, I don’t want to keep him waiting.” She practically sprung out of bed and began rifling through her bag for a fresh set of clothes.

Auddie held her fresh clothes in front of her, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. Tommy watched her. Curiosity bubbled in her chest, her stomach fluttering. She so desperately wanted to ask him about the yelling, but then, she would be incriminating herself for eavesdropping, and she didn't want to infringe on his own private business. The woman's voice rang in her ears, she didn't sound like any of his maids, and she couldn't imagine any of his hired staff speaking to him like that. Who was that woman, the visitor? She must have been someone from outside of the house, and she must have known him quite well, based on the... energy of their conversation. She cleared her throat, trying to clear the thousands of questions that buzzed in her head. It was his business. He would've told her if it was something important, or something that concerned her. She had told him so much about herself already. For the sake of their secret and the foundation of their relationship that was slowly beginning to piece together, she feigned ignorance and carried on.

“Can you turn around? While I get changed. It is a Sunday.” Auddie smirked, sarcasm lilting in her tone.

“Indeed. Well, I’ll leave you to it.” He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Wouldn’t want you to disappoint the good lord.” He flicked his gaze up to the ceiling. Reaching for the doorknob, he turned to look at her one more time, his eyes raking up and down her frame. “He might mind those, though.” He pointed to his neck and slipped out of the door.

Auddie smiled, placing a hand on the base of her throat.

*******

After changing and adjusting the collar of her sundress to cover the bruises that decorated her collarbone and lower throat, she stepped out of Tommy’s bedroom. She was finally able to comb through all of the knots in her hair and scooped it all over her shoulders. 

Tommy was waiting for her in the hallway, his back turned toward her while he stared out of a large window. He wore a crisp shirt, bracers at his elbows, and a dark waistcoat, with matching slacks and, of course, shiny shoes. She took a few steps beside him and intertwined her fingers with his. He hummed in response, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“I warned you,” He began, leading her down the hall. “He won’t stop with the toy cars.”

“I think I can handle it.” She replied, looking up at him quickly.

Tommy shook his head, scoffing. “You’ve been warned.”

And warned she was.

Charlie took his toy car collection _very_ seriously, as Auddie had now learned. He started his presentation of each and every one of his toys in the morning, and it wasn’t until afternoon rolled in that he had finished. Auddie glanced at Tommy, nodding his head diligently with a yawn as Charlie went over his favorite car for close to the tenth time in a span of a few minutes. Auddie grinned.

Eventually, Frances came into the room, reminding Charlie that it was time for his nap. Tommy ruffled the boy’s hair and let Frances take it from there, ushering Auddie out of the room as she waved goodbye and goodnight to the little one.

Tommy removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. “I warned you.”

“Oh, come on.” Auddie nudged him with her elbow. “It was very sweet and thorough.”

He shook his head, adjusting his glasses onto the bridge of his nose as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Tell me how sweet it is after the three hundredth time you’ve gone through each and every one of the damned cars. He'll wanna show you the horses next.”

Auddie hummed in response, following Tommy down the hall. 

Tommy drove her home soon after that, while also insisting that she take all of her charred fiddleheads with her.

He walked her to the front door of Malcolm’s, placing her bags on the stoop.

“Before I forget,” He reached a hand into his coat pocket, retrieving an envelope. He pressed it into her hand. “Information for the damned party. So you can pack accordingly.”

“Pack?” She echoed, clutching the paper nimbly in between her fingers.

“We’d be staying overnight,” He continued, rubbing his chin with his hand. “It's far out in the country. Farther than my fuckin’ house. Save us both the trouble if we just stay.”

“I see.” 

“I’ll arrange a car for you next Saturday afternoon to come to my house. Then we’ll go to the party from there.”

“Sounds like a wonderful plan to me.” Auddie nodded, smiling. “Thank you, for inviting me.”

He waved a hand at her. “Thank you for agreeing to come.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“You might be singing a different tune after gallivanting with a bunch of stuffy old men for an evening.”

“Hm, perhaps.” She tucked the envelope into her satchel. “I'm gallivanting with you just fine, though.”

Tommy smirked, shaking his head. 

He pulled her in to kiss goodbye, and Auddie held on like it was the last time she would ever see him again.

*******

Auddie could hardly wait for the following weekend. Truthfully, she was so excited for the risk of it all, going to such a public event with Tommy despite their _tiny_ secret. She was thrilled to be seen with him, even if no one would know who she was, or her true affiliation with him. Another nameless face flitting around in the crowd.

She soared through work that week, a chummy smile on her face all day every day. Even Liza picked up on it.

Auddie was accompanying Liza on her rounds of house calls that week. She mostly just served as a shadow in the background, an extra pair of hands to assist Liza whenever she needed it.

“You seem to be awfully chipper,” Liza commented as she scrawled notes in her patient log, her green eyes glued to the page. They had just checked up on a pregnant woman, Rebecca, who was due in only a matter of weeks now. This was going to be her sixth child, and even just entering her tiny apartment was an obstacle course, there was a child at every turn. “I didn’t think your first week of house calls would be so fun.”

Auddie blushed, shifting from foot to foot. She thought of Tommy and the weekend they were going to have together. “What can I say? Working with you is just an absolute joy.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Liza wagged her pen at her. “But I think something else is going on.”

“Can’t I just be happy to work with you?”

Liza shrugged, smiling. “Of course, of course. I just think something else is going on, and I think it has to do with something a little _saucier_ than house calls with me.”

Auddie rolled her eyes with a grin, the flush dusting her cheeks deepened.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of it,” Liza tucked the pen behind her ear and dropped the logbook into the pocket of her apron. “No one gets to be smitten without my knowing!” She shook a melodramatic fist in the air.

After finishing her rounds with Liza, they were both able to head home earlier in the evening than they had originally expected, much to Auddie’s relief. She changed out of her uniform in the cramped bathroom at Honorhall, stepping out into a plain dress and cardigan instead. She tucked the uniform under her arm as she exited into the street, waving a rushed goodnight to Liza.

Sitting in the car, Auddie retrieved the envelope Tommy had given her a few days prior from her satchel. She scanned each line of his (surprisingly) neat penmanship, explaining the details of the event. Most of the words blended together (she had already reread it so many times), save for the words “ _black tie.”_

A black-tie event was something Auddie did _not_ plan _or_ pack for when she decided to trek across the ocean to London in the first place. She had only a few evening gowns anyway, and that select handful were all hidden away in dusty old boxes in her bedroom back in Boston. She chewed at her bottom lip. She would have to go shopping, and she was dreading it.

The engine roared to life as Auddie twisted the keys into the ignition. There was a boutique a few streets away from Malcolm’s apartment, deeper into the city where pubs and shops littered each and every corner. She had been scoping it for the past few days, working up the courage to enter and prepare to make a purchase. Sighing heavily, she drove away from Honorhall and down the street, mentally preparing herself for the next hellish few hours of dress shopping.

Shopping meant hours of smiling at salespeople until your cheeks hurt, and changing in and out of dress after dress until you were a sweaty mess. It would be pure agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you also for the feedback! I will stick with the longer chapters woohooooo 🎉 !


	18. A Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your feedback + reading :) Let me know what you think!! I hope I am doing Tommy's character justice 🥸

**HIS** new position in Parliament did not dissolve the target on his back. Not even at a stuffy party amongst the pinnacles of society in an absurdly large house in the countryside (hours from his _own_ absurdly large house in the countryside), could save him from it. Whether Tommy liked to admit it to himself or not, he saw an enemy in every shadow. Sometimes it twisted into the figure of a soldier, covered in mud from the tunnels with bloodshot eyes, watching his every movement. Other times it was Father Hughes, silently following him from room to room, hiding behind every half-open door. More frequently these days, it was faceless Italian men in their sharp suits lounging in the corner, lazily picking at their teeth. The nights when he didn’t sleep much at all, he saw Grace standing there, just as she was when he first met her, save for the gaping bullet wound in her chest.

With that in mind, he slid a gun into his shoulder holster. It was small, easy enough to conceal, but a weighted comfort just in case, well, shit happened. Better safe than sorry.

Tommy stood in front of a freshly shined bathroom mirror, staring at his reflection while changing into a tuxedo. Frances, or another one of his nameless maids (he had so many fucking maids) had wiped the mirror clean that morning. Once he finished buttoning the jacket of the tux, he took assured steps down the stairs and into his office. He poured himself a generous helping of booze from the first bottle his hand touched and tossed it back in one deft flick of his wrist. 

He collapsed into the stiff leather chair behind his desk, sighing. Earlier in the day, while Frances was smoothing out the tuxedo onto his bed, she warned that sitting could crease the _fine_ linen. Tommy scoffed. Her maternal nature toward Charlie was beginning to trickle down to him. He’d be sitting in the car for over an hour anyway. Creases be damned.

All he had to do now was wait for Auddie.

Tommy flicked his eyes to the grandfather clock that loomed in the corner of the room, humming at the time. He had arranged for a car to pick her up close to two hours ago. With the trip from Warwickshire to London and back again in mind, he crunched the numbers and estimated her arrival would be in about, thirty minutes or so. Thirty minutes to kill. Thirty minutes to mull over the million little thoughts that buzzed throughout his skull like wasps.

Was this his best idea, bringing her along to a charity dinner, despite the circumstances of their relationship? No, no it wasn’t. Starting the relationship with her was already a poor idea. Auddie was young, flighty, and there were more pressing issues at hand for him to concern himself with. Like the fucking crates, for example. Getting her that job was already terrible enough. It was a slip of impulsivity at the moment, a desperate attempt to have a more concrete reason to see her without Malcolm in the mix. He lost track of when the lines got blurred from simple curiosity to a growing infatuation. Did he like her, or did he like the idea of not being able to have her?

Tommy bounced between guilt and selfishness, a scale that never fully tilted in one way or the other. What did he care if his family or fucking Malcolm knew, about their correspondence?

Of course, he fully understood what Malcolm’s concerns for her were, and he couldn’t blame him. He thought back, to many years before, to Ada and Freddie. Slinking around together right under his nose. Karma? Is that what this was? He cared for her, Auddie, and he cared for the strain that it could put on her relationship with Malcolm, especially where family was few and far between. A temporary fix for that potential heartache was secrecy. At least for now.

As for his family, he knew Arthur wouldn’t care one way or the other. In fact, he didn’t. His response was a clap on the back and a loud _“Good on ya, Tom.”_ Of course, followed by a few stern warnings regarding Malcolm, with a few _“Watch out for those fucking crates, yeah?”_ tossed in there.

Polly, on the other hand, is where trouble could begin for him if she came to know Auddie’s true identity. For now, all she thought was that she was just another girl, another notch itching to be under his belt. Another girl used as a physical form of avoidance to bury himself in from his own reality. Fatherhood, business, and all of that. Perhaps in any other circumstances, she wouldn’t care, other than a roll of her eyes and a tight-lipped scoff. He could hear her now, _“She’s too young, you only think with your cock, Thomas.”_ Not wholly inaccurate.

If she knew Auddie was Malcolm’s sister, well, then he would have bigger problems other than just romping around with a girl almost ten years his junior. Polly didn’t care for Malcolm, and especially so since tensions were raised with the missing crates under his watch. 

Ah, and then there was Lizzie. Lizzie, who had shown up unexpectedly, bright and early the previous Sunday morning, while Auddie slept in his bed, demanding to know where he had been, and with _who_. Polly, he assumed, had filled in the blanks for her. Lizzie knew there was something, or someone, preoccupying his time and attention. He seemed to be anywhere other than home these days. After Polly caught him and Auddie together, he could have only assumed that she would’ve told Lizzie.

She was enraged, as expected, saying she didn’t bring Ruby along for the trip to Arrow House in case he didn’t recognize her. Again, the scale of guilt and selfishness began teetering to each side.

He was pretty sure Auddie had slept through the whole ordeal, and if she hadn’t, well, she didn’t say anything to him either way. The beginning tendrils of a migraine began to branch across his forehead. Another piece is woven into the web of lies he had forged. At what point, if ever, did he mention Lizzie and Ruby to her? He rubbed at his eyes, squeezing the bridge of his nose. Would he ever mention Grace?

Tommy tilted his head toward the window behind him at the sound of a car door closing, his inner musings fading into thin air. He dragged his thumbnail across his lips and sighed heavily, pushing himself up from the desk and crossed the length of his office toward the foyer, footsteps muffled by the carpet.

A butler was already at the door, nodding his head and whispering a quick _“sir”_ to Tommy as he neared. The man pushed the door open with a gloved hand, stepping outside to serve as a human doorstop.

And there she was.

Auddie tentatively gripped the hand of the driver, easing one foot after the other onto the gravel drive. 

When she caught his gaze, she smiled.

She stood there, slim in a dress of narrowly cut lilac silk. A waterfall of curled red hair swept over one shoulder, matching earrings poking out from underneath her locks. His eyes raked up and down her frame, a soft smile pricking at the corner of his lips when he noticed the driver handing her the worn leather satchel.

“Can’t go anywhere without it?” Tommy called from the front step, hands shoved in his pockets. He watched her carefully, at each step she took toward him, a flush dusting across her cheeks.

“You’re awfully curious about my bag.” Auddie tilted her head to the side, smirking. “If you’re lucky, I’ll let you hold it on your lap for the whole ride.”

Tommy shook his head and motioned toward the house. “Have a drink with me while they pull the other car around.” He turned on his heel and extended a hand to her.

“The _other_ car around?” She echoed, taking his hand. 

“I see the car your brother drives,” Tommy began, leading her into the foyer. “I’m sure this is all business as usual for you.”

Auddie scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Oh please.”

*******

Tommy shut the door behind Auddie, then rounding the back of the car to assist the driver with shoving both of their luggage into the trunk. As soon as Tommy slid into the seat beside her, Auddie dropped the satchel onto his lap.

“My gift to you, as promised.” She waved at him. “You get to hold my precious bag for the ride.”

“This is my greatest honor,” He replied, emphasizing each word with a pat onto the bag. “Maybe I can finally see what’s in it.”

She grabbed his wrist quickly. “I said hold, not _look_!”

He smirked, rolling his eyes, and intertwining their fingers together. The car sputtered down the driveway and onto the dirt road. The trees turned into splotches of green against the reddening sky as the car picked up speed, the sun beginning its descent behind the cresting hills of the meadows that spanned across the horizon. It would be dark by the time they arrived at the event. They sat in silence for a while, long enough for the sky to turn from warm hues to cooler evening purples. Tommy mindlessly brushed his thumb against her hand.

“What’s the story?” Auddie turned her gaze from the window to him, eyes blinking expectantly. “Am I Auddie Fraser, or someone a little more interesting?”

Tommy smiled, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. A pang of guilt shooting through his chest at her willingness to dance around with this lie.

“You can be Auddie Fraser,” He replied, his head bobbing with each bump in the road. “There’s no one here who will make the connection.”

“That ruins all of the fun.”

“Perhaps.” He turned his head toward her. “Unless you had something else in mind?”

“Well,” She folded her hands together on her lap. “I was thinking I could play the part of a botanist from a faraway land, right? And from there I could start planting the seeds of my fiddlehead agenda.” She raised a hand. “No pun intended.”

“Are you going to poison everyone in there with them too?” 

Auddie grinned in response, crossing one ankle over the other and turning her attention back to the window. The gold of the mansion’s lights filtered through the trees as they drove out of the forested road, warm and inviting against the darkening sky.

The car began to slow down in speed, the driver pulling through the main gravel drive, tires screeching to a halt at the entrance behind a fleet of other cars. Auddie reached for her bag that sat on Tommy’s lap, reaching in for a matching lilac clutch that was tucked away.

A few attendants scurried down the stone steps to open the car doors for them, deftly retrieving Auddie’s satchel and their luggage from the back in the process. Couples flocked to the main entrances, dressed well with smiles to match.

Auddie stared up at the tumbling stone expanse. The house- the _mansion_ was so large, it was hard to believe it wasn't the King's summer home.

“Fuckin’ ridiculous,” Tommy muttered to her, extending his arm. Her earrings glinted in the rays of light that radiated from the windows of the house. Auddie looked up at him, smiling as she looped her arm with his.

“It is fucking ridiculous.” She sighed, red lips parted slightly.

Butlers swung the doors wide open in welcome, the sounds of indiscriminate chatter and music echoing throughout the halls. Another attendant pulled Tommy aside to hand him a gilded note with their room information for the evening carefully scrawled across it. Tommy nodded his head in thanks and tucked it away in his jacket. His fingers trembled, only for a brief moment, at the sensation of brushing across the leather holster. A grim reminder.

“What is this for again?” Auddie whispered, wide-eyed, but smiling, as she glanced up at him.

“Charity dinner,” He replied from the corner of his mouth. “Held by the head of the veteran's affairs.” He nodded to a particularly wrinkled old man who tipped his head to him as he walked by. “I’m sure we’ll see him sooner or later, Mr. William Finch, this is his house.”

“In that case,” Auddie looked up at him from under her eyelashes, voice hushed. “I’ll be on my best behavior, Mr. Shelby.”

He stared down at her, taking in the lilt in her voice, the blush on her cheeks, the seriousness of her own gaze. She bit her lip, and turned away, her hair a curtain between them.

One thought crested through his mind like a tidal wave. Curiosity or growing infatuation? When did the lines get so blurred?

Nevertheless, he found himself entangled in conversations with men he barely knew from Parliament, his best smile plastered on his face after diligently nodding his head at the same cycle of conversation over and over again. Business, alcohol, rose-colored war stories, horses, cars, women. The same boring shit, covered with forced pleasantries and crisp tuxedos.

He would turn toward Auddie in between conversational lulls, watching with a careful eye as she carried conversations with the wives. If she was uncomfortable, he couldn’t tell. His thoughts carried him back to his first meeting with her, covered in horsehair while they trotted across the fields beyond Malcolm’s cottage. Her shy stares, their awkward conversation, accidental touches. A stark contrast to the woman who stood in front of him now, smiling beautifully at strangers, expressive in each conversation. He watched as she leaned down to admire one woman’s diamond ring, carefully holding her manicured fingers in her hand, her back framed perfectly by the silk of her dress.

Tommy found himself clenching his jaw, fighting the ever teetering scale of selfishness and now, lack thereof, self-control. Curiosity or infatuation? He asked himself this over and over again. He couldn’t tell if this newfound impulsivity was always there, or if the alcohol was a catalyst in clouding his judgment. Typically, he didn’t have to wait around for the women he wanted. Generally, wealth, power, and looks cleared the way for him. But this wasn't a typical situation, was it?

They filed into a crowded parlor room, all of the furniture pressed up against the walls to make room for the crowds. A mixture of cigarette and cigar smoke lazily rising up to the tall ceiling, while the number of people shuffling about the space made the air warm, the sounds of hushed voices and shrill laughter melding together. 

“Ah, Mr. Shelby!”

“It begins again,” Tommy muttered to Auddie, forcing a tight-lipped smile as he turned to glance over his shoulder.

“Mr. Finch.” Tommy flashed his best smile, snaking a hand around Auddie’s waist and toward the small of her back.

“I’m so glad you made it,” The man beamed, taking long strides toward them, his arms open wide. Tommy mused that he couldn't be much older than him, despite the flecks of gray peppering across his dark slicked-back hair, with the same coloring present on his cropped beard. A white scarf was tossed haphazardly around his neck, dangling unevenly on each side with each step he took. “And please, for the hundredth time, call me William.”

Tommy took his hand and shook it firmly. William’s gaze flicked toward Auddie, the wrinkles on the corners of his eyes crinkling into a smile. 

“You brought a guest, too? Splendid, really, splendid.” 

“Yes,” Tommy cleared his throat and nodded. “William, this is Miss Auddie Fraser. Auddie, this is Mr. William Finch, he’s responsible for this wonderful event this evening.” Tommy motioned his free around to the room around them.

William placed a hand on his heart. “Oh, you’re too kind.” He turned toward Auddie, taking her hand in between his and placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles. “Aren’t you a sight? It’s a pleasure, truly.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Finch” Auddie smiled. “Your home is very lovely.”

“Ah, the accent, American. And please, call me William,” He wagged a finger in the air, smirking at Tommy. “What brings you here? I didn't know Thomas would be bringing a foreign friend with him tonight.”

“Hardly foreign,” Auddie began with a gentle lilt in her voice, still smiling. Repeating the same smoothed out half-truth she and Tommy had cultivated throughout the evening, telling every person they ran into the same story. “I'm visiting family. It just so happens that they are well-acquainted with Mr. Shelby, and introduced me.”

“Lovely, just lovely.” William’s eyes flicked from both of them. “You’re in good company, Miss Fraser.”

Before Tommy could respond with a half-assed thank you, the sound of Mr. Finch’s name being called from across the crowded room cut him off short. William clapped his hands together and rolled his eyes, smiling.

“Let's chat later, Thomas, yes? I’ve sat you near me for supper.” William dipped his head low into a half bow. He turned on his heel, waving to someone from across the room. “It was wonderful meeting you, Miss Fraser. You’ll have to tell me about your family later, I’m so curious to know all about Thomas’s ventures! If either of you needs anything, I’m but a shout away!” He motioned toward the group of (drunk) partygoers who continued to yell for him.

“And please, get yourself a cigar, they’re quite good!” 

“For someone who says they’re terrible at starting conversations,” Tommy began, sipping his whiskey. “You’re holding yourself quite well. You haven’t been caught staring at all yet.” He clinked his glass to hers. “Cheers.”

“Hush.” Auddie took a quick sip of her champagne. “There’s a time and place for everything.”

“Did I just get lucky with the staring?”

Auddie rolled her eyes, a tiny smile fighting to appear on her lips.

“Why do you work?” Tommy asked, rather bluntly, amidst the pause in their conversation. Most girls in her position, he assumed, wouldn’t have to be working. Despite claiming otherwise, she seemed to be quite the conversationalist, and, more than likely, had quite the sizable dowry. The youngest daughter of three, with two older brothers to manage the family business. Seems like an easy life was set out for her. A trickle of resentment boiled in his gut. He sighed, shaking the feeling off. He chalked it up to the alcohol, and stuffy old men.

“Why do _you_ work?” She countered, raising a brow.

Tommy nodded his head. “For money.”

“Me too.” 

Tommy took another sip.

“For someone who asks a lot of questions,” Auddie looked up at him from the rim of her champagne glass. “You’re awfully secretive.”

Tommy raised his glass to her. “We both deal in secrets.” Indiscriminate chatter filtered through the air around them.

“Seriously,” Tommy cleared his throat, continuing. “Why do you work? I don’t think you’re lacking for money.”

“What a question.” Auddie clicked her tongue. “For the money, for myself. I wanted something for myself, so, I have a job.”

“Fair enough.”

She pointed a finger at him, narrowing her eyes in mock seriousness. “Promise me that you’ll let me ask you as many questions as I want tomorrow.” Tommy raised his eyebrows. “I’ll save you the interrogation tonight. Just promise.”

Tommy crossed his heart with his finger. “I promise.”

She brought her drink to her lips, before glancing away. “I’ll hold you to it.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it.”

It was at that moment, amidst the crowds of high society and fake pleasantries, his inner turmoil regarding Auddie clicked into place. He felt like just a man. She made him feel like _just_ a man. Maybe it was because she reminded him of a time where he wasn’t Thomas Shelby MP. Thomas Shelby OBE. Thomas Shelby with the blood on his hands. Where he was just Tommy. Just Tommy going out with a pretty girl. Did he miss that time? It was entirely pathetic. Curiosity? Infatuation? The feeling of the gun under his jacket tore him from his blissful mooning over a past long gone. He would never be _just_ Tommy. The scraping of shovels. An explosion. Tossing his medals in the fucking Cut. John in the morgue. Lizzie alone with a baby. A woman crying out for him. Grace. Grace?

As if on cue, she turned to look up at him, smiling softly. Propriety be damned. Curiosity or infatuation? It didn't matter. It didn't fucking matter.

“Come here.” Tommy placed his drink on a random table beside an expensive-looking vase, reaching to do the same with Auddie’s half-empty glass as well. She raised an eyebrow, taking his hand. He weaved through the crowd, navigating through the corridors until he found the restroom.

“Where are we going?” 

He jerked his head from left to right, before pulling her into the room with him. He locked the door with a click.

“Tommy?” She whispered.

“I couldn’t wait.” He cupped her face with his hands and pressed her against the door. Auddie rested one hand on the back of his neck, the other gripping the lapel of his jacket.

Tommy leaned forward into the kiss, nipping at her lower lip. Auddie laughed, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss on the shell of his ear.

“Not here.” She whispered.

“Why not?” Tommy hummed, trailing his lips down the side of her neck toward her collarbone.

“I have something better in mind.” Auddie sighed as her chest rose and fell rapidly. “It's late enough. I think I want to go to bed soon.”

Tommy pulled away quickly, pupils dilated.

“But before that,” Auddie adjusted the lapels of his jacket with both hands, bringing him closer to her. “I said it before, but I think red _really_ is your color.”

Tommy stood up, smirking. She grinned at him wildly as he crossed the room toward the bathroom mirror. He plucked the towel that hung on the wall beside the sink and shook his head as he scrubbed the smeared lipstick from his lips.

“If that's the case,” He continued, tossing the towel on the floor. “I hope you’re feeling alright, those bruises look painful.” He pointed a finger to the base of his throat. 

Auddie quickly slapped a hand on her collarbone, rushing toward the mirror and placing her clutch on the sink.

“They were almost gone, I worked so hard to cover them up!” She quickly went to work, patting away tinted powder at the fading spots on her collarbone. Tommy shook his head and chuckled, leaning against the door.

They stepped out of a bathroom, one at a time, to save face, of course. Auddie reached for his hand, looking up at him expectantly when the sound of a bell rang throughout the halls.

“Fuckin’ dinner.” Tommy groaned, squeezing her hand. Auddie shot him a playful glance, bumping her hip with his.

“Come on,” She smirked, leading him toward the dining room. “You can’t leave Mr. Finch waiting.” He trailed behind her, mouth twisted in a rueful smile. She called to him from over her shoulder. “He sat you near him, after all!”

Tommy stopped short, halting Auddie in her tracks. She took a few steps toward him, until he placed a hand on each of her shoulders, brushing his thumb against her collarbone. She hesitantly glanced from side to side, they were alone in the hallway.

"I'm suddenly not feeling well," He whispered into her ear, voice husky. _Curiosity? Infatuation?_

"But what about..."

"I've recently eaten this fucking fiddleheads. I might be allergic." He tucked a rogue curl of hair behind her ear. "Any idea of a remedy for that?"

Auddie leaned into his touch.

"I might have an idea."


	19. A Flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW!!! Finally, the tag can be changed from eventual smut to just smut LOL
> 
> (This is my first time writing anything smut-related, I hope I did an okay job 😅)

**TOMMY** closed the door behind them.

Auddie tried to focus on the obscure grandness of their shared room for the remainder of the evening. It was lovely, of course, oak-paneled walls with two windows that served as gateways for moonlight to filter through. Bookshelves spanned from the floor to the ceiling, filled to the brim with leatherback volumes and knick-knacks. Ornate furniture, the perfect kind for lounging, neatly placed in front of an unlit brick fireplace. Tucked against the rightmost wall sat a featherdown bed with cerulean and cream duvet. It was lovely, really, but her mind was elsewhere.

She took small steps to the fireplace, fidgeting with a ring on her finger as she stared at a tiny pile of forgotten ash and ember. Logs were readily stacked and available for lighting, but it was too warm for a fire tonight. 

Auddie felt frozen in time almost, too nervous to peek out from under her curtain of hair to see where _he_ was. She felt embarrassed, as she most often did with anything regarding Tommy, but in this instance, it was especially for all of the false bravado she had downstairs only moments before. Like the flickering dim lamplight that cast a hazy glow around the room, her confidence was slowly beginning to dwindle.

The sound of a lighter clicking to life snapped for her attention. Glancing to the side, she caught the glimmering reflection of light in his shiny shoes. Auddie smiled, _shiny shoes._ Taking a quick breath, she fully turned to look at him. His eyebrows were knitted together in concentration as he struggled to light a cigarette, sighing when the flame finally took.

There was little that suited him more than a sharp tuxedo, she mused. The longer pieces of his dark hair at the top of his head had been smoothed out gracefully where they met the sharp line of the cropped sides, and Auddie found herself quite liking the silver hairs that speckled across the short hair of his temples.

“Old habits die hard, eh?”

Auddie flushed, quickly turning her head back to the empty fireplace. The room was silent, save for the muffled cheers and laughter of the party that continued to swell on in the floor below them.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” _The staring._

He shrugged, eyes flicking toward her for only a moment. “Must be a pretty interesting fireplace there.”

Auddie shook her head, fighting the smile that pricked at the corners of her lips.

“How are you feeling? Allergies still acting up?” Ah, how desperately she wanted to sound witty.

Tommy chuckled, barely audible, instead, it was more of a low vibration erupting from his throat. He exhaled, a whirl of smoke appearing in the corner of her eye. He took a step closer to her, smelling of the cigarette and cologne, as he slowly raised his free hand to grip her chin and turn her face toward him. Auddie could feel her bottom lip trembling as she looked up at him, watching as he balanced the cigarette in between his lips. Seconds, minutes, or hours could have passed by, Auddie lost track, she felt lost in his gaze. He smirked, plucking the cigarette from his mouth and lazily flicking it into the fireplace. Then, he kissed her.

It was softer, the urgency from their brief romp in the restroom downstairs gone.

“What a waste,” Auddie whispered in between their lips, she could feel him smile as he gripped her chin tighter, snaking his free hand around her waist to pull her closer to him.

He was just a man. She was just a woman. This was normal, it was natural. Tommy wasn’t that much older than her, not absurdly so, but she couldn’t help but feel inexperienced. Young. Immature. Her biggest fear, at that moment, was that he would think she was just a fumbling and inexperienced oaf. 

Without thinking, Auddie began fumbling with the buttons to his tuxedo jacket. She grimaced, picturing his adoration for her fizzling away as she struggled to undress him, fingers getting caught on every button.

“Woah, Woah.” Tommy hummed, grabbing her wrists. “In a hurry?”

Auddie flushed. “Well, I just thought-”

“C’mon,” He tugged her closer, trailing his fingers from her chin to her cheekbone. “Look at where we are,” he paused, “We’re in this big fucking house, with all these fucking people,” He whispered into her ear in between gritted teeth, “We have all fucking night.”

“I’m nervous,” She replied, voice low. “I’m nervous about a lot of things. It’s... been a long time.”

The reality of it all hit her hard. A thousand nagging doubts murmured into her ear, reminding her of who she was, and what she was _not_ to him. Their secret. How many times could she mope about the secret? It felt like an incredible burden on her shoulders and made her wonder how she carried it around with her on any other day so effortlessly. Why, at this very moment, when she wanted him and he wanted her, did it feel like such a big deal? 

It must have been a mixture of nerves about her own inexperience, and her exact meaning to him. Yes, that must have been it. She agreed to their secrecy, she was complicit in this. Or at least, that was what she told herself.

“It’s certainly been a long time for someone who cares for plants as much as you do.”

Auddie furrowed her eyebrows together. “Hey!”

He gave her a crooked grin before kissing her again. Auddie, against her better judgment, leaned into it.

“I’m kidding,” He continued, pulling away and looking down at her. “I don’t care if it's been a long time or a short time. I don’t care. All I care about is you, right now, at this moment.”

“It’s not just that,” Auddie sighed, focusing her gaze on an uneven stitch on the carpet below them. “Us, together, this, you know,” she motioned around wildly with her hands. “This is a big deal, for me at least.” She looked back up to him, searching his face for any reaction. He just nodded.

“Us. There are so many odds stacked against us, for reasons I know and _don’t_ .” She began, pausing in between thoughts. “My brother, your family. This will complicate things, won’t it? You know, _intimacy_?”

“You can call it what it is you know,” Tommy smirked, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "No need to beat around the bush."

Auddie flushed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

“They don’t matter.” His voice tore her away from her thoughts.

“If they didn’t matter, then we wouldn’t be planning this elaborate scheme to hide from them.”

Tommy narrowed his eyes at her. 

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Auddie paused, her heart rattling against her ribcage. “I want to.”

He placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him.

“I don’t want you to worry about your fuckin’ brother, or my family, or anything right now. It's just you and me.” He took a ragged breath. “But I want you to understand that I don’t care about them, about any of them. I get what I want, eh? And that’s you.”

Auddie felt her bottom lip trembling, her heart tearing itself into a million little pieces all while putting itself back together again.

“I’ll ask again,” Tommy kissed her, softly, deliberately. “Do you trust me?”

Auddie swallowed any remnants of anxiety that bubbled in her throat, condemning them to the void. “Yes,” She mumbled against his lips. “I do.”

She felt herself letting go, falling into him, his hands warm and calloused against her cheeks, gently gripping his wrists. He trailed his hands down her throat, pausing briefly, before continuing their descent down to the straps of her dress. He slid them off of her shoulders until it fell into a swath of silk at her feet. Auddie felt her face warm as she stood there, in just her slip and stockings. Oh, and well, shoes. Tommy chuckled as she inched away from him to step out of the pool of silk, all while kicking her heels off.

She reached for the buttons of his tuxedo and he grabbed her wrists again. She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Let me,” Tommy whispered while kissing her on the forehead.

He led her to the bed, gently easing her down onto the duvet. He turned from her, deftly unbuttoning his own jacket while she watched. Auddie felt silly, watching him undress. She sat up quickly, straightening out her posture as she tried to preoccupy her mind with something, anything. A glossy wooden horse figurine was tucked away in the topmost corner of a bookshelf that caught her attention. She smiled. Always a horse.

The sound of metal clattering to the floor tore her gaze from the horse.

“What was that?”

Tommy was still fully dressed, save for his jacket, which was now in a large wrinkled pile on the floor. He kicked his shoes off while he took assured strides to her, then standing in between her legs while she sat there upright.

“Cigarette case.” He murmured in between kisses. Auddie peeked open her eyes for a moment. _Must be a heavy one._

Auddie clamored to unbutton his waistcoat, fingers getting caught on each button. In between tiny laughs and hushed whispers, she eventually pushed his waistcoat to the ground below and the suspenders from his shoulders.

Tommy pushed her down onto the bed, stepping back to undo his belt. He leaned down to kiss her quickly, the metal of his belt clicking as it fell to the floor.

“Remind me,” He whispered, his trousers now in a pile beside the jacket. “To never put me in a time-sensitive situation with you.”

“You’re the one who said we have,” Auddie took a deep breath for emphasis, before mimicking his accent (poorly) while grinning. “ _All fuckin’ night.”_

He shook his head, smiling. The sound of his throaty laughter gave her a swell of newfound confidence. Tommy shifted onto the bed, kneeling over her with one leg in between hers. Auddie ran her hands across his chest, tracing the tattoos and scars that decorate his body. She flushed at his own nakedness, ever so slightly. He gracefully pulled the slip from over her head, his touch warm and rough against her bare skin, pulling her closer to him.

“You tell me if you want to stop,” Tommy kissed her gently, “Alright?”

Auddie nodded, tangling her fingers in his hair to bring his face closer to her. Her hands trailed from the back of his head down toward his shoulders and the muscles of his back.

Tommy rolled sideways, pulling her against him. One hand drifted down past her stomach, her thighs parting willingly. Dragging a knuckle to her underwear, he watched her carefully, pressing soft kisses against the shell of her ear. Back and forth he moved his finger, the gentle touch upon the silk enough to drive her mad. She had never felt anything like this in her life, and the whimpers that left her lips were needy and numerous.

“Tommy,” Auddie whispered, trailing her hand down his arm to grip his wrist.

With a hum he kissed her cheekbone, his other hand closing over her neck for a moment, before trailing down to brush against her breast. He rolled the underwear from her body, tossing it onto the floor somewhere, anywhere. His hand returned, sliding up her thigh to slip a finger inside of her. Her hips bucked and she could feel the hard length of him behind her, she hitched a breath.

“Tommy,” She sighed, reaching a hand back to grip his hair. “Tommy, please.”

“Hm?” He echoed, breath hot against her ear. A second finger joined the first, slowly and gently, sliding in and out rhythmically.

Auddie’s eyes fluttered shut, chest rising and falling rapidly. He wrapped his other hand around her jaw, squeezing tightly.

“Look at me.”

She opened her eyes, watching him as he watched her, his own lips parted slightly. He grazed the side of her neck with his teeth. For a moment, albeit brief, Auddie felt a rush of embarrassment. She was in complete disbelief of how quickly she had turned into a wanton mess, hips churning against his fingers, tumbling over the edge into a bottomless void. He tangled his fingers into her hair and pulled her head back, biting her neck with more vigor now as his name fell from her lips, louder and louder. With each mention of his name, another one of her worries disappeared into thin air. The inexperience, the secret. Damn it all. She could only think about her and Tommy at that moment. He said it himself, he didn't care about the others, and at this moment, neither did she.

Lost in the feeling of him, Auddie reached her hand in between them, fingers brushing over his cock. His breath caught in his throat, his grip on her hair tighter as Auddie smiled. She tried readjusting her position to wrap her hand around him, desperately trying to twist her body, when he slipped his fingers from her and rolled on top of her, pressing her back flat against the covers.

“Hey-” Auddie began, face flushed and voice trembling as her own sweet release was taken from her. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and brushed a loose curl from her forehead, eyes softening as he looked down at her. He settled in between her legs to kiss her harder than he had yet, adoring and hungry all at once.

He rested his forehead against hers, intertwining their hands together. “Do you trust me?”

Auddie sighed, she hardly recognized her own voice. “Yes.”

Tommy rolled his hips up and into her, Auddie’s mouth opening into a silent cry. His head tipped back, eyes closed for a long moment, keeping his hips still. Auddie cupped his face with her hands, reaching to kiss him fervently. They stayed in an easy rhythm for a long time, until Auddie tugged on his own hair, and arched her back as her body rose up to meet his own.

“Please, more.”

"Cheeky."

He chuckled, low and throaty, kissing her hard. He nibbled on her lower lip, urging her mouth open. She wrapped her legs around the small of his back, hands entangled in his hair. Something snapped at that moment, and he grabbed her with vigor. 

The motion in his hips was rough now, his own grunts growing louder with each moment. Tommy’s name was the only sensible word coming from her lips, her voice hitching with each thrust. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, biting, kissing, sighing. She dug her fingernails into his back, desperately trying to find a grip somewhere, anywhere.

Auddie never wanted this moment to end, never wanted this feeling to go away. She raised her hips to meet his.

“Tommy,” She began, voice breathy.

“I know,” He replied, “I know.”

His hips began to speed slightly, his own undoing, as well as hers, on the mend. Auddie cried, tumbling into oblivion, her fingers digging into his shoulders. She was still, for a long while, chest rising and falling rapidly, the feeling of him inside of her, his hoarse breaths above her. 

"You’re a fuckin’ dream."

Tommy pulled from her at the last moment, spilling onto her stomach. He rested his forehead against hers, both of their eyes closed. 

Auddie’s eyes eventually fluttered open, Tommy rolling off of her and onto his back beside her.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“I’d rather this than the other way,” She replied sheepishly, a tiny smile on her lips.

“Let me.” He pushed himself from the bed, making his way to the attached bathroom. He returned with a towel, handing it to her as she wrapped herself up in it quickly and headed toward the bathroom for herself. 

Auddie stared at her reflection in the mirror, her hair beyond wild and face flushed, crimson lipstick smeared on her lips. She couldn’t help but smile though, her heart swelling in adoration for him. Ah, it made her sick. Leaving the towel on the tile floor (she tried to fold it as neatly as possible), she returned to the room with a fresh one, giving it to Tommy with a wink.

“For your lipstick.”

Tommy shook his head, leaning against the headboard while wiping his own lips before tossing it onto the floor beside their clothes. Despite the mid-summer heat, he pulled back the covers and patted the spot beside him. 

“Didn’t think you would be much of a cuddler.” Auddie mused, slipping into the bed beside him as he curled her body against his. Draping the blanket over their bodies, he hummed and kissed her hair. 

“Hush.” He replied as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek, resting her head under his chin. He stroked her hair, and Auddie felt herself drift off to the steady beat of his heart.

*******

Auddie woke up entangled in cerulean sheets, with one bare leg sticking out. She yawned, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand and stretching her arms beyond her head until they bumped against the headboard. 

Glancing out of the nearest window, she noticed that the sky was still purple, tiny droplets of dew clinging against the window. Far past the gravel drive, a blanket of fog rolled across vast green meadows. If the windows were open, she was sure she would hear birds chirping. It was early, absurdly so. 

She sat up, slowly tilting her head to look at Tommy who slept beside her. His back was facing her, with a sheet haphazardly hiked up to his waist. She smiled, resisting the urge to stroke his back. 

She carefully slid out of bed, taking tiny steps toward her bag across the room. She flushed at her own nakedness, feeling horribly vulnerable. She just wanted to change into her robe and climb back into bed to catch a few more hours of sleep before they had to go. It would be so cozy and warm under the covers, it was surprisingly cold for a July morning-

Auddie gasped, her foot catching Tommy’s tuxedo jacket on the floor. She glanced over her shoulder at him, still in bed. All of their clothes were in piles across the floor.

“I’ll clean this up,” She sighed, taking quicker steps toward her bag. She slipped into her robe and tied the sash tightly, combing her fingers through her hair as she turned on her heel back to the mess. 

Her dress was completely wrinkled. She frowned, holding it up to eye-level. It was her own fault, she should’ve taken better care of it. She felt heat rush to her cheeks as she thought of the _reason_ why it was ruined in the first place. Auddie quickly folded the dress and shoved it into her bag, smiling. The wrinkles were worth it. 

She continued picking up her other clothes that were casualties from the night before, unsure if she should fold Tommy’s tuxedo. It probably cost a fortune, based on the sharp suits he wore all of the time, she wasn’t sure if he would be as forgiving of a wrinkle. The tuxedo jacket was the next closest thing to her, she brought a finger to her lips and hummed quietly. At the very least she could fan it out over a chair. 

Auddie bent down to reach for it, the fabric of the jacket smooth in between her fingertips. As soon as she picked it up, something clattered to the floor underneath it. She heard that sound last night. _Cigarette case, that was what Tommy said._ It sounded too heavy to be a cigarette case. Glancing over her shoulder, Tommy was still in bed. Curiosity and the cat... She knelt down again, reaching for the jacket a little quicker this time. Folding it over her forearm, she gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. 

A gun fell to the floor, still tucked inside a leather holster.

“What the fuck?” Auddie whispered to herself, brushing her fingers against it. She turned back to the bed, Tommy was still there. _Why would he have a gun? Here?_

She tossed the jacket over it once more, taking a few steps backward. It seemed wholly out of place. Her father had guns, nothing huge, a few handguns here and there. Douglas did too. Hell, even Malcolm did. He was really into hunting pheasants for a while, until he realized he was a terrible shot. Auddie shook her head, trying to clear the crowding thoughts.

Why didn’t he tell her he was bringing one? Why would he bring one here? Why would he lie about it?

 _Maybe he didn’t want to scare me,_ Auddie tried rationalizing it in her head. _I’m sure he has his reasons. He was in the war, Malcolm said so, he wants to protect himself. He’s never hurt me._

She crawled back into bed, pulling the sheets up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling, Malcolm’s voice haunting her thoughts.

The bed shifted beside her, Auddie’s eyes went wide. Tommy rolled over and hovered above her, eyes soft. 

“Good morning, Miss Fraser.”

Auddie couldn’t help but smile, kicking herself for being... swooned so easily. All it took was sharp features and blue eyes, it seemed.

“Mr. Shelby.” She brought a hand to his face brushing her fingertips against his cheekbones.

“I see you’re dressed,” He nodded his head toward her robe. “I wasn’t feeling quite well, must be the fiddleheads, and I was hoping you could help me with that.” He leaned down to press his lips to hers. “Your cure last night worked wonders.”

Auddie smiled, flushing. “I’ll see what I can do.”

While Tommy kissed and nipped at her neck, Auddie spotted the tuxedo jacket across the room out of the corner of her eye. A chill trickled down her spine. She pushed at his shoulders in an attempt to flip him onto his back. Her efforts were futile until he understood her gist and with a throaty hum, he obliged her. She straddled his hips and gave him her best smile. “I’d like to try this way.” He smirked, undoing the knot she had tied with the sash of her robe.

“Be my guest."

As he slipped the robe from her shoulder, she focused on the headboard in front of her. Anything to keep her eyes away from the tuxedo jacket. Why would he lie? She glanced down at him, his blue eyes softening as he looked at her.

Auddie leaned down to press her lips to him, kissing him with sheer adoration. With eyes like that, well, she thought she could forgive almost anything. Almost.


	20. A Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we are 20 chapters in!!! Thank you all so much for reading :) here is a little bit of a fluffy chapter, enjoy!! ❤️

**SINCE** they both rose early, Tommy decided they would leave Mr. Finch’s house early. For that reason, and also the fact that it seemed to be the least suspicious plan of action to dodge Mr. Finch himself, and any other partygoers who may have questions as to why they weren’t present at dinner. It would keep the little white lie going. He’d send Mr. Finch a letter within the next week, and, possibly a fucking fruit basket as an apology for missing dinner. He’d let one of his secretaries arrange that.

Auddie poked her head out of the doorway to the bathroom, hair tied up in a towel. “I’ll be right out, I just have to fix my hair!”

“We’ll just be in the car,” Tommy hummed, glancing at her from over his shoulder while he buttoned his waistcoat.

She furrowed her eyebrows at him, holding up her index finger. “In the car or not I want my hair to be somewhat tame. A few more minutes, I swear.”

Tommy shook his head, smirking. As soon as the bathroom door closed, he finished adjusting his collar and made haste to collect his discarded pieces of clothing that were strewn across the room. Especially the gun. He tucked it away in his bag, feeling foolish for even bringing it in the first place. The whole event was dull, until well, the later parts.

He collapsed on one of the chaises, stretching his legs out fully over it and crossing one ankle over the other, shoes clicking together. Pulling his pocket watch from his waistcoat, he glanced at the time, it was barely eight. He had actually slept that night, for the first time in a long time. It wasn’t a good sleep by any means, but it was sleep nonetheless. Enough sleep to muffle the sounds of shovels scraping for a little bit. Only a little bit.

Eventually Auddie emerged from the bathroom, hair still slightly damp, but smoothed out over one shoulder, dressed in a cream dress and navy blue sweater. She smiled at him sheepishly, ducking her head away from his narrowed gaze, with the silk robe tucked over her forearm.

“Just about ready to go?” He called from the chair, slinging his arm over the back of it. 

Auddie nodded while folding the robe into a neat square, placing it into her bag. “Just about.”

Tommy watched her carefully as she smoothed out each item in the bag, a few curls falling over her face. She tucked the rogue strands behind her ear, her eyes glancing toward him for a quick moment, before returning to the task in front of her. He thought she looked like an angel, at that moment. He mentally kicked himself for thinking like that. The way the light shined against her hair, like a fiery halo, the tiny dusting of faded freckles across the bridge of her nose, rosy lips. There was the gawking schoolboy again.

“I feel like I’m on display when you look at me like that.” She commented, never turning toward him.

Tommy hummed in response, drumming his fingers on the back of the chair. “On display for me, maybe.”

Auddie smiled, shaking her head. She smoothed her hands over the pile of folded clothes in the bag. “You promised me an interrogation today.” She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. “Emphasis on  _ promised _ .”

“Ah,” He sighed, tilting his head to fully look at her. “How long will this be?”

“I’m the interrogator here,” She began. “I get to decide how long.”

“Alright, shoot.” He took out his pocket watch. “I’ll give you until eight-thirty. Then we have to head out. I’ve arranged for the car then.”

Auddie turned toward him, frowning. “You can’t give me a time limit!”

“I can,” He tucked the watch away, folding his hands on his lap. “And I will. Eight-thirty.”

“You’re terrible,” She shook her head, bringing her attention back to her bag. 

Tommy clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Times ticking.”

She groaned, folding her clothes with a vigor now. “I’m forgetting all of my questions now that you’ve put me on the spot.”

“Maybe lighting me a cigarette would help you remember.” He gestured to the case on the table beside him.

“You really are terrible.” Auddie paused, rolling her eyes at him.

He smiled to himself, reaching for his cigarette case and lighter on the end table beside him. He flicked the lighter until it began to spark, warming the palm of his hand that was cupped around it. “You weren’t saying that last night.”

She turned on her heel toward him, “Unbelievable!”

Tommy inhaled, smoke whirling from his lips as he pulled the cigarette away. 

“You weren’t saying that this morning, either.” He nodded his head with each word, staring at the ceiling. “Interesting.”

“Stop distracting me.” Auddie huffed, biting her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle laughter. She cleared her throat, closing the bag and clasping it shut. “First order of business, your family. Why is this a secret for you too?”

“You’re really coming out swinging, eh?”

“I’m taking no prisoners in this.” She replied, trailing her hand along the curved back of the chaise. “You’ve asked me plenty of questions about my family, it’s my turn now.”

“Fair is fair.” Tommy sighed, taking a quick drag from his cigarette. Where to begin. He thought of Polly, stern-faced whenever Malcolm was brought up in a conversation. Lizzie, alone with a baby. “My family is complicated, alright? I’ve told you, I’ve,  _ we’ve _ , all worked very hard for the Shelby company,” He paused, balancing the cigarette in between his lips. Half-truths and lies danced in his mind. “I have a son. They worry for him, for us. It's not easy to bring someone into the family so quickly. Especially the sister of one of our... associates, you see. Conflict of interest.”

“I take it you’re all very close?” Auddie sat on the chaise with him, tucking his legs over her lap.

“Yeah.” His voice trailed off. She nodded in response. “As I was saying,” Tommy took her silence as his cue to continue. “Conflict of interest between my family, and yours. Tensions could rise.”

“Do they dislike Malcolm?” She asked, voice wavering.

“It’s not like that.” He continued, “They’ve,  _ we’ve,  _ been crossed before. Our business, the exports, manufacturing, betting,” He waved his hand with each word, flecks of ash falling from the cigarette with each movement. “The people involved, the people drawn to it, they’re not always good.”

“I see.”

“The short answer to your question is, they need time. There has been strain with the business as of late, I don’t want you to become a punching bag for their own frustrations.”

“The strain, is that why Malcolm is in Boston?”

“Sure.” Tommy nodded. Auddie watched him carefully.

“I’ve met your brother, Arthur? Yes, Arthur.” Auddie noted, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. 

“Yes,” He tipped his head back, glancing at her. “He’s the best of them.”

“Does he know?”

Tommy shrugged. “Here and there.”

“Ah.”

He brought the cigarette to his lips. “Like I said, the rest of them, they need time.”

“Will this always be a secret?” Auddie turned her head toward him, her eyes searching his face. Tommy sighed, placing the cigarette in between his lips and reached a hand toward her. 

Always, how long was always? He didn’t know what to say. Always. It was too soon for always. When was the last time he had an always? Grace, maybe, that was his last always, and that ended quickly.

“No,” He replied, brushing his fingers against hers. “Not always.”

She smiled, although small. It didn’t reach her eyes. He squeezed her hand. “We have to work on that brother of yours first before we even start with my family, yeah?” Her smile grew.

The familiar pang of guilt tore through his chest. 

There was a steady three knocks at the door.

“Mr. Shelby, your car is here to take you home.”

“We’ll be right there.” Tommy called from over his shoulder. He squeezed her hand again and flicked the stub of the cigarette into the fireplace. “Looks like times up.”

Auddie knitted her brows together. “This is far from over, we’ve barely scratched the surface.”

He reached his hands toward her face and kissed her quickly.

“Come on, I promise I’ll be a willing interrogatee later.”

“I’m holding you to it.” She stood from the chair, smoothing out her dress. “ _ Again. _ ”

“ _ Again, _ ” Tommy echoed, “I don’t doubt it.”

*******

Their driver stood by the front steps, nodding his head with the tip of his hat as they appeared in the front entrance. Tommy helped him shove their luggage into the trunk, it was a different car this time, and barely everything fit. He handed them a copy of the Sunday paper, to which Auddie eagerly accepted. 

Tommy slid into the leather seat beside her, shaking his head as she thumbed through the newspaper to the crossword puzzle.

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow.

“It's going to be a long drive,” She replied (very “matter-of-factly”). “This will be fun, I swear!”

“I don’t know if I’m inclined to believe you.” Tommy glanced out the window as the wheels of the car crunched against the gravel drive. “The last time you swore something would be good, it was green fucking garbage.”

“Shh! Keep your voice done,” Auddie jerked her head toward the driver. “Cursing this early? On a Sunday? Tsk.” She clicked her tongue, shaking her head solemnly, a small smirk on her lips.

“Speak for yourself,” He waved a hand at her. “You were cursing just as loudly only a few hours ago,” He paused, peering at her from the corner of his eye. “And for much more nefarious reasons.”

Auddie brought the newspaper closer to her face in a feeble attempt to shield her embarrassment.

“Shut up.” She whispered from the corner of her mouth. Her cheeks were beet red. “Now help me figure this out. Food made of flour, five letters across, cake related. Go.” with a small laugh, she gently nudged him in the arm with her elbow. “And get your mind out of the gutter. I’m an angel, everyone knows it.”

“I was born in the gutter, Miss Fraser.” He rolled his eyes. “Some angel you are, eh?”

*******

It was still morning by the time they arrived at Arrow House. Noon time was just around the corner, with wisps of gray clouds rolling across the sky, threatening a rainstorm later, no doubt.

“I’ll drive you home.” Tommy nodded his head to the driver as he elbowed the door open. “Would you like to say goodbye to Belmont Jr first?”

Auddie nodded her head fiercely. “Always. Too bad I didn’t pack for a ride.”

“Looks like you’ll have to come back soon then.” 

She smiled at the ground while digging the toe of her shoe into the gravel.

“C’mon,” He jerked his head toward the house. “We can leave our things in the foyer for now.”

*******

All things considered, this was the laziest Sunday he had ever had in well, a long fucking time. He’d have to pick Charlie up from Ada’s later in the evening.

He stood beside Auddie in the stables, watching as she cooed at Belmont Jr.

“Has he been doing well here?” She asked, glancing at him for a brief moment. “It’s been about a week now, hasn’t it?”

Tommy reached to pat the horse’s shoulder. “He’s been very agreeable. Stablehands say he’s been doing just fine.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you for keeping him here. I’d like to compensate you and your men for the time and effort it took to bring him here, and take care of him.”

“Unnecessary, there’s plenty of room for him, and it was no trouble at all.” Tommy thought back to Curly’s bruised forearm, a bitter smile on his lips. “Although I may have something in mind.”

Auddie gasped, feigning surprise, and bumped him with her hip. “You are despicable, Mr. Shelby.”

He looked down at her, and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Been called worse.”

“Oh, woe is me.” She clicked her tongue, kissing him back and then returning her attention to the horse. 

They stood in silence for a bit, save for the sounds of horses stamping their hooves and snorting. Somewhere, far beyond the property, crows cawed. 

“Since it's just you and I,” Auddie began, her voice trailing, gaze still fixated on Belmont Jr. “Can I continue my interrogation?”

“The floor is yours, Miss.” Tommy leaned against the stall and motioned his hand in the air.

“Excellent.” She grinned, following suit and leaning against the stall as well. Belmont Jr sniffed her hair, and she laughed heartily. Tommy felt a pang of warmth in his chest, a welcome guest instead of the guilt that found itself there most frequently. A low, unfamiliar voice whispered in his ear, deep in the darkest crevice of his mind.  _ Curiosity or infatuation? _ He could’ve sworn he saw a shadow by a hay bale move.

“Next order of business,” Auddie tapped a finger to her lips, humming. “I’m stuck between questions about your childhood, or questions about Malcolm.”

He rolled his eyes, adjusting his position against the particularly rugged wooden post. He could feel shards of wood digging into his bicep through the linen of his shirt. “Both riveting topics, I assure you.”

“Let’s go for the gold and start with Malcolm.” She smiled. “What’s he like? With business, that is. I’ve never seen him truly at work before, I’m curious.”

“Well,” He cleared his throat, mulling over how he would exactly respond. He knew his answer would require a degree of tact.

“Mr. Shelby!” A rushed voice called from the mouth of the stable. Tommy rose from the post and turned to where a red-faced butler stood heaving. He couldn’t remember his name, it must have been Marcus, or something. They all looked the same to him. “I apologize for the interruption,” He huffed, wiping a gloved hand across his brow. “There’s a call for you, back at the house. Urgent, they said.”

The word  _ urgent _ ignited the white-hot flames of a migraine to curl behind his forehead. Grimacing, he sucked in a deep breath and flashed the man a tight-lipped smile. “I’ll be right there.” The butler nodded vigorously, turning on his heel to jog back to the house. Tommy looked to Auddie, a small, although sad, smile on her own lips. 

“I’m sorry to cut your interrogation short,” Tommy sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll be right back.”

Whatever sadness was on her face moments before disappeared within seconds, a bright smile warming her cheeks. “Please, don’t worry about it! We’ll have plenty of time to interrogate again. Plus, I have to win Belmont Jr’s affections back, he seems quite fond of you.”

He closed the distance between them and kissed her, trying to convey his adoration for her in the gesture. She seemed to have understood his meaning, as she snaked her arms around his neck and gripped the longer locks of his hair in between her fingertips. 

She pulled away, knitting her eyebrows together with mock seriousness. “Now go along, the man said it was urgent.”

He kissed her again quickly, and began his own rushed strides back to the house.

*******

“Hello?” Tommy spoke into the receiver, reaching for his glasses and placing them low on his nose.

“Mr. Shelby, long time no see! Well, speak. And see too, I guess.”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

“Ah, Malcolm.” Tommy sighed, leaning back into his leather chair. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” Malcolm replied, “And yourself?”

“Fine, just fine.”

“I’m calling with the beginnings of good news.” Malcolm continued, voice sharp.

“Ah, really?” Tommy drummed his fingers methodically on the arm of the chair. “What kind of good news?”

“The kind in the shape of a crate with naughty little bottles in it.”

Tommy couldn’t even roll his eyes or scoff. He froze in his chair, lips parting slightly. 

“That was quick.”

Malcolm laughed on the other end. “I’m an excellent investment. But, as I said, it's just the beginning. Is now a good time? I have quite a bit to fill you in on.”

Tommy thought of Auddie, standing in the stable, cooing to her horse. He said he’d drive her home, he promised to answer her questions. He needed a fucking cigarette. Something shifted in the corner of his eye.  _ Curiosity or infatuation? _

The crates were too precious at this moment. 

“Yes,” Tommy began, clearing his throat. “Now is fine. Hold on, I have to step away.”

“Take your time.”

Tommy placed the phone on his desk, pushing himself up and stepping quickly toward the door. He called for Frances, for someone, anyone. The red-face man from earlier appeared.

“Can you arrange a car back to London for Miss Fraser? She’s in the stable.” He leaned out of the doorway to his office, tightly gripping the doorknob. “Her bags are in the foyer.”

The man nodded quickly. Tommy muttered a flurry of words to thank him, before slamming the door shut and locking it. He’d call her later, apologize. She’d understand. She was understanding.

He’d see her soon, that was how it always went. 

Tommy sat back at his desk and brought the phone to his ear. Bits of adrenaline tinged in his veins. The sound of the grandfather clock ticking loomed in the back of his mind. Tick. Tick. Tick.

“Malcolm, go ahead.” 


	21. A Blue Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I didn't mean for this chapter to be so long!! Thank you for sticking with me! Enjoy ❤️

**AUDDIE** had been around enough businessmen in her life to know what could entail with just a simple phone call. Add the word  _ urgent _ to it, and well, that was an entirely different can of worms.

Images of her father filled her mind, times where he would angrily push himself up from the dinner table, silverware clattering to the floor, snapping at a housekeeper who told him there was a call waiting for him in his office. 

There was a tinge of sadness in her chest, as she was looking forward to the car ride with Tommy. She would let herself feel a little selfish, but only just a little bit. She had gotten to spend two weekends in a row with him, after all.

Amidst that sadness, she felt particularly stupid. Maybe stupid was too harsh of a word. Naive, that was it. She was feeling particularly naive. 

She thought of the gun. It was pointless to question it, she would never know the  _ real _ reason for him carrying it with him unless she asked outright. Her desire to be polite and tact outweighed the curiosity that gnawed in her gut, or, at least, she hoped that was the reason. She couldn’t deny the bit of fear she felt as well. 

In the stable with him, she was tempted to ask about it. She didn’t want to seem like a snoop like she was purposefully looking through his belongings behind his back. It was an accident, really, but who would believe that? Better to keep her mouth shut, she was good with secrets.

Her own selfishness outweighed the razor-thin tendrils of doubt and worry that plucked at her heartstrings. The more she tried to push these thoughts away, the more questions arose. Why would Tommy have a gun with him at a dinner party of all places? Not just any dinner party, a  _ charity _ dinner. One would think that would be the  _ least _ high-stakes gatherings. He mentioned bad people involved with his family’s business. Could these people be truly  _ that _ bad? Was he hiding something? She couldn’t even concern herself with that when their whole relationship was hidden.

She shook her head, staring out of the window. Her shoulder bumped against the door as the car turned onto Malcolm’s street, the familiar rows of townhouses coming into view. She didn’t want to think she made a mistake, pursuing him, and then sleeping with him the night before. Well, and morning too. She felt especially vulnerable about that.

For now, she locked away her worries into the deepest crevice of her mind. The easiest way to deal with the situation, in her opinion, was to completely reject and deflect anything and everything about it.

Auddie scoffed at herself, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. She tried the same tactic with Tommy, not too long ago. Look at how well that turned out.

She handed the driver a few banknotes and shouted a quick  _ thank you _ while struggling to sling her satchel over her shoulder as she reached for her luggage in the trunk. A few raindrops fell from the sky, causing her to (attempt to) shield her hair with an arm over her head. A rainstorm in the summer could mean only one thing: frizz. She waved goodbye to the Shelby car once she elbowed the door open to Malcolm’s place.

As luck would have it, the storm started to pick up as soon as she stepped inside. The sound of each droplet striking the windows echoed through the house. She kicked her shoes off and dropped her bags to the floor, promising herself that she would come back for them later. She made her way up the stairs, dragging her fingers across the railing all of the ways to the main floor. Glancing all around, she couldn’t help but smile. Malcolm’s place was slowly, but surely, turning into a reflection of herself.

When she first arrived here, a little over a month ago now, his townhouse was spic and span, not a single object out of place. Now that she had the place to herself for a few weeks, well, it was turning into something else, something wild.

Dog-eared pages of worn books were strewn about on each and every table, most sat unfinished, she had a bad habit of starting books and then moving onto something else halfway through. She even began filling vases with water and dying flowers that she had found poking through the cracks of the city sidewalks. There had been plenty of times where Mary, or another one of Malcolm’s maids, insisted on tidying the place up, but Auddie had just waved them off, insisting a little bit of mess made a house a home.

A home.

When did it start to feel like a home?

Well, she knew exactly when that started, to her own dismay. It started with a pair of shiny shoes. Shaking the senseless thoughts from her head, she tugged on the strap of her satchel and made her way toward her bedroom.

Auddie placed her journal on the vanity, thumbing through to a fresh page. She placed the newspaper from that morning beside it, smiling at the unfinished crossword puzzle from the car ride. Tommy, to no one’s surprise, did not care for these puzzles in the slightest. She jotted down a quick note about it in her journal and vowed to tuck the newspaper away for safekeeping so she could always remember this weekend. She grimaced at herself, too sentimental too soon.

A timid knock at her door tore her attention away from her scribbling.

“Please, come in.”

Mary, ever-diligent, peeked through the doorway. “Welcome home, miss.” She smiled, eyes crinkling. “I brought your bag, I’ll leave it right here. If there’s anything you need to be washed properly, just let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.” Auddie turned in her chair, nodding. “What would I do without you?”

She hummed and chuckled in response, closing the door with a gentle click.

Auddie continued her scribbling while tapping her foot on the ground to an imaginary beat. A crack of thunder shook the window panes. She flinched, dropping her pen. Grumbling, she reached for it as it rolled off of the vanity and onto the floor. A strike of lightning illuminated her room, followed by another bout of thunder. It made her smile, thinking back to that storm not too long ago...

She grimaced, again. 

Yes, too sentimental too soon.

She couldn’t help but think the thunder sounded like gunshots. 

*******

“Tea?” Liza asked, wiping her hands on her apron as she placed a scuffed silver kettle on top of the stove. “You look like you need it.”

Auddie grimaced. She could only imagine how sunken in her eyes must have looked. “Please.” She rested her head in her hands, elbows digging into the wood table. 

She was thankful to be busy at Honorhall. It kept her preoccupied, mentally and physically. Liza scheduled her to shadow her for four consecutive night shifts that week, and much to Auddie’s relief, it was Wednesday, it was almost over. Three long nights in a row working the graveyard shift, and Auddie was starting to feel like a grave walker herself.

She hadn’t spoken to Tommy since Sunday. There were a few moments where she felt that creeping sense of doubt, and she would pace by Malcolm’s office more frequently than she would like to admit, but work was keeping her busy. She could only assume that work kept Tommy busy, arguably more so. He had much more on his plate than her.

Auddie was talking herself in circles. This was how it usually went, they spent the weekend together, then the days of silence. There was a give and take with everything in life, and this was theirs. Despite that give and take, she missed him, and truthfully, felt terribly vulnerable after the… events of the previous weekend. She stifled the emotions that threatened to boil over inside of her, she knew what she was getting into with him. The gun flashed in her mind. Or, at least she thought so.

A dusty old cuckoo clock above the fridge rang out for the third hour, causing both Auddie and Liza to wince.

Auddie rubbed her temples, groaning. She missed Malcolm, too. Even when he moved to London, two years ago, they sent letters and spoke on the phone weekly. Her heart ached, and she could only blame it on the early hours of the morning. That blue feeling always crept in then.

“Damn that blasted thing,” Liza grumbled, standing on her tiptoes for a box of tea that was tucked away on a particularly high shelf. “Not only is it ugly, but it's also bloody annoying.”

“It has some charm to it, don’t you think?” 

“What did I say about lying in this holy house?”

Auddie grinned. “I’ve never asked this before,” She cleared her throat, brushing away a few crumbs that were left on the table from a previous meal. Remnants of stale bread, she suspected. “How long have you been working here?” 

Liza glanced at her from over her shoulder, closing the cabinet. “Oh. A few years now, this was my first job out of school.” She stepped over to another cabinet and retrieved two chipped cups. “Truthfully, I was under the impression that this was some sort of small private hospital. As you can see,” she motioned around the room, “It’s not that. But I like it here, and I’m happy all the same.”

“It’s small, and private, just not a hospital.”

Liza rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “Sure, that was the only thing they fudged in the job description.”

“It's only been a few weeks for you, I know, still learning the ropes.” She continued, placing a tiny pitcher of milk and a cup of sugar cubes onto a cracked tray. “But I hope you’re enjoying it. It's different, certainly, but it's good.” She dropped a teabag into each cup.

Auddie smiled. “Yes, it's been wonderful.”

“ _ Wonderful _ ,” Liza mimicked, a sarcastic lilt to her voice. “How pleasant. It must be different from where you worked before.”

“It is different.” Auddie nodded. “I worked in a small family practice before. There were a few emergencies, here and there, but I was still a student then. I got to stitch a few nasty cuts from time to time.”

“As I said, it's a little dull.” Liza shrugged. “Rarely do we have to shove anyone’s guts back in. Or stitches, for that matter. But there are plenty of babies in Birmingham who need to get delivered.” She winked at her.

Auddie recalled the events from their day. A baby born and several scraped knees from a romp in the backyard, followed by a visit to an elderly man who refused to take his medicine until Liza promised she would sneak him a few cigars that his wife wouldn’t let him smoke. Auddie just smiled and looked the other way.

Oh, and there was a spider in the main room, to which all of the children (and Auddie) cowered in fear until Liza came storming in and gave it a good wack with her shoe, championing herself as the hero of the day.

“I would hardly call this place dull.” 

The kettle began whistling.

“You know what?” Liza began, wrapping a cloth around her hand as she poured the steaming water into each cup. “I was thinking. You should come out with me and my friends, drinks this Friday, yeah?” She peeked at her from over her shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows. “We both have the day off. Hell, I made the schedule. Let's get you a real taste of the area.”

Liza placed the tray on the table in front of them, sliding into a seat beside Auddie, placing a teacup in front of her.

Auddie blinked, splashing a bit of milk into her tea. She felt a tinge of anxiety in her gut. Her only friends here were, well. No one. How pathetic.

“We can get to know each other, outside of sick kids and delivering babies! It’ll be fun, I swear.” Liza grinned, dropping a few sugar cubes into her cup.

Auddie slowly stirred her spoon around the cup, clinking the rim often. She felt nervous, apprehensive.

“C’mon, what do you say?” Liza nudged her in the side. “The answer is yes, or, yes.”

Auddie smiled, taking a sip of steaming tea in an attempt to stifle the doubt in her stomach. What was the harm in it? Her only activities were working, moping around Malcolm’s, and Tommy. As enjoyable as they all were, it was a bit of a bleak existence. She couldn’t forget the extra time she spent moping about Tommy, especially on the days leading from the weekend. Oh, and riding her horse. That wasn’t bleak at all- but if she was going to stay in London for a while, she would need to, well, put herself out there more. 

“I’d love to.”

Liza clapped her hands together. “That’s what I’m talking about. This Friday, then. Have you been to any pubs around here?”

Auddie shook her head.

“Clubs?”

Auddie shook her head again. “I’ve only been here for about a month.”

“My God,” Liza’s voice trailed off, she took a swig from her teacup, shaking her head. “I feel so sorry for you. Let's change that, yeah?”

If Liza was exhausted, Auddie couldn’t tell.

“We’ll start with a pub,” Liza collected their empty teacups and placed them atop the tray. “ _ Then _ we can move onto clubs. You live in London, right? Your brother’s place?”

Auddie nodded. 

“Come by my place on Friday evening, you can get ready with me.” Liza smiled, the dishes clanking together in the sink. She gave them a quick rinse with a spray of water from the squeaky faucet. “We can smooth out the details on our breaks. Oh, I’m so excited. It’s been so long since my friends and I have had an excuse to properly go out.”

Auddie wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into. She felt like a leaf on the wind these days, just going wherever it took her.

*******

It was the early morning by the time she got home. She felt like a mess, knew she certainly looked like one, and just wanted to crawl into bed.

Auddie crept up the staircase and toward her bedroom. She fell asleep within moments, pulling all of her covers up and over her head. She didn’t care that it was the middle of summer, she wanted to be wrapped up in blankets.

It must have been noontime by the time Auddie woke up the following day. Next to her bed, like always, was a warm cup of coffee. How did her brother find someone like Mary?

Auddie reached for the mug, warming her palms with the ceramic. Something caught her attention in the corner of her eye, she turned her head back toward the tray. Tucked under the mug was a small note. 

_ “Your brother called this morning asking for you. I told him you were sleeping for work. I took down his information so you could call him back at your leisure. - Mary” _

She sipped the coffee as she read, flinching at the heat. Malcolm. They hadn’t spoken since she brought up her questions about Tommy. 

There certainly had been new developments since  _ that _ conversation.

Auddie sat up in bed for a long while, wiggling her toes under the covers and gulping down the remainder of her coffee. What could he want? She agreed to herself that she would call him back after a bath. Clear her mind, prepare herself for whatever he had to say. She wondered if she had spoken to Tommy recently, and this sparked his call.

With the note in hand, Auddie made her way toward Malcolm’s office. She picked up the phone and repeated all of the information that Mary had written down for her. She wasn’t even sure if he would be awake.

“Malcolm Fraser.”

“Malcolm?”

“Auddie?”

Auddie shook her head, fighting a tiny smile on her lips. “The one and only.”

“Thank you for calling me back. I’m so sorry for calling earlier, I didn’t think you’d be sleeping.” Malcolm began, the sound of shuffling papers filling the other line.

“Don’t worry about it.” She waved a hand to no one in particular. “It's good to hear from you.”

“I’m sorry for a few other things, also.”

Auddie sighed, crossing one leg over the other and leaning into his leather office chair. “Malcolm, please. It's fine.”

“No, no, let me be your blubbering brother for a moment.” He paused. “You won’t get me like this again.”

“Alright, go.”

Malcolm cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for snapping the other day. Well, the other day a  _ few _ weeks ago. And I’m sorry for not keeping in touch while I’ve been away. You’re all alone there, and I just disappeared. I’m sorry.”

Before Auddie could respond, he continued. 

“I shouldn’t have been so hard on you, and, begrudgingly, Mr. Shelby, for that matter.” He took a deep breath. “It was generous of Mr. Shelby to help you get a job. He got you one much faster than I could on my own. I’m happy and proud of you. I’ll never apologize to him, though. Can’t let him think I’m some softie.”

She bit her thumbnail, tapping her foot on the floor.

“So? What do you say? Forgive your favorite brother for snapping?”

Auddie shook her head, chuckling under her breath. “Yes, I forgive you.”

“Oh, Auddie! You have a heart of gold!” He beamed. “Really though, you have to forgive me, I  _ am _ putting you up after all.”

“I’m glad you’re still humble as ever.”

“I have to get out of here, Boston is changing me.” 

“Have you heard anything from Douglas?”

“Of course not! He doesn’t know I’m here, I’m just trying to be in and out.” Malcolm grumbled. “Plus, I can’t get a drink without jumping through fifty flaming hoops.”

Auddie rolled her eyes. “You’ll be back home with your booze soon enough.”

He laughed. “Home? You’re calling it home?”

“Slip of the tongue.” 

“Hmm, sure.” She could practically see his fox-like grin through the phone. “I’m glad you’ve been adjusting well enough.”

“Me too.” 

“Well, on a better note.” He yawned. “I’m hoping to come back soon. I’m just about finished up with work here.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” Auddie replied, fanning out her fingers and staring at the chipped nail polish. “How has work been going?”

“Just fine. Exceptionally busy, but fine.” He continued. “How about yourself? Back at em?”

“Yes, back at em.” She smiled. “ _ Exceptionally  _ busy, but fine.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I suppose I should be happy Mr. Shelby is putting you to good work.” Malcolm quipped. “Night shifts this week? Mary said you were working late.”

“Yes, my first few night shifts here. I feel like a zombie.”

“You poor thing, this is why you need a husband.”

Auddie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up.”

Malcolm simply giggled. “Think about it, you can marry a rich man, live in a big house with thousands of babies, and never lift a finger for whatever you want.”

She gagged.

“Come on, that’s not so bad, I think I’d like that life myself.”

“Well, go ahead and get it.”

“No, no. First I have to outshine Douglas, and  _ then  _ I can become a househusband with a thousand Malcolm Jrs running around my palace. Château de Malcolm will never die!”

“Your imagination never ceases to amaze me.”

“Not imagination, but reality.”

Auddie clicked her tongue.

“With apologies out of the way, I’ll let you go now. I’m going to get some rest.”

“That sounds very genuine.”

“Oh, it is very genuine.”

Auddie scoffed, “I’m sure.”

“I hope you have an excellent shift this evening, I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Thank you, Mal. Sleep well.”

Auddie hung up the phone and sighed. She didn’t feel as much relief from Malcolm’s… apology then she thought she would. Perhaps it was because there was so much conviction in his words regarding Tommy, and how she had been sneaking around behind his back  _ with  _ Tommy, his business partner.

She tried shaking those thoughts from her mind. She shouldn’t think like that, she was happy to hear from her brother. She missed him dearly. They were siblings, they had fought and made up plenty of times throughout their lives, this was no different. At least she had hoped so.

She wasn’t even going to get into the fact that her heart skipped a few beats when Malcolm mentioned the word  _ husband _ .

“It’s only been a fucking month.” She groaned to the empty room. “Get it together.”

*******

When Auddie got to Honorhall that evening, she could’ve sworn it was actually midday with the way Liza was acting. 

“We just have to get through tonight, and we’ll be golden for tomorrow.” 

Auddie hung her bag over one of the kitchen chairs.

“Do you know what you will be wearing?”

Auddie blinked, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “My clothes?”

Liza narrowed her eyes at her. “You know what I mean.”

Auddie smirked, tightening the knot of her apron behind her back. “Depends on where we’re going, you haven’t told me yet.”

“Oh shit,  _ shoot _ , sorry,” Liza shook her head vigorously. “You’re right, we’re going to a pub a little ways from here.”

“The dress code?”

“It’s a pub, not a ball,” Liza rolled her eyes, grinning. “Wear a nice dress but not too nice, you know? But like,  _ that,  _ kind of nice.”

“I’ll see what I can scrounge up by then.”

“Don’t disappoint me!”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Auddie placed her hands on her heart.

“Very good.” Liza gave her a curt nod with a wink. “Now let’s get going, we’re on call tonight, who knows what fires we’ll have to put out.”

“Fires? I thought this place was dull.”

Liza waved a hand at her. “I forgot to mention it’s only dull when I’m not around.”

There were no fires to put out. The next eight hours were spent reviewing patient logs, taking stock of their inventory, cleaning, and listening to Liza plan her outfit for the following night.

Auddie’s mind wandered as she flipped through another stack of papers, the incessant ticking of the cuckoo clock fueling an oncoming migraine. She felt worried, she hadn’t heard from Tommy, and it was culminating as dread in the pit of her stomach. But this always happened, didn’t it? It was the give and take. Her shoulders sagged. A terrible thought popped into her mind. She squeezed her eyelids shut, feeling like a fool.

He was hiding a gun, he was hiding her, what else could be there?

No, no. She couldn’t think like that, it wouldn’t do anyone good. The nature of their relationship was for her own good, their own good.

*******

Auddie woke up in the early afternoon, tossing an arm over her eyes as she kicked her comforter onto the floor. She was somewhere in between excitement and dread.

She was great at conversation with elites, stuffy old rich people and businessmen were all the same, no matter where she was. Those conversations were predictable. Fancy cars, gaudy diamonds, new property. She had spent enough time growing up being dragged from each and every  _ Fraser & Sons  _ sponsored function to get each conversational piece down pat into a routine. It was like a formula. It worked just like a charm the previous weekend with Tommy.

People her age? Well, that was where the unpredictable came in. 

Auddie hopped to the floor and slid on her robe, crossing the length of her room toward her vanity, all the while dodging a few books that were scattered to the floor. A tasteful mess, she had called it. She grimaced as she brushed through her hair, she’d have to draw a bath soon, and after that, well, she’d have to figure out what she was going to wear.

After bathing, she wandered throughout the house with her hair pinned back in wave clips, conveniently loitering by Malcolm’s office from time to time, hoping for a phone call. 

“Stop thinking about him.” She whispered to herself, clasping her hands together. “He’s busy, far busier than you. He wouldn’t want you trailing around him like a lost puppy. Everything is fine. Look, even you’re busy too.”

Perhaps going out with new people would be good for her, forcing herself to try new things, get her mind off of a certain… someone. The give and take were driving her mad.

By the time evening rolled around, Auddie sat at her vanity, scrutinizing her reflection as she put on a pair of twinkling earrings. Liza had insisted on them getting ready together, but Auddie had to spare the time, and energy it would take to get her red curls to stay in place. Plus, these things were always easier in the comforter of one’s own home.

Auddie smoothed out her dress on her lap, feeling a bit self-conscious. It was simple, black, and sleeveless with a neckline that exposed her collarbone. It was narrowly cut at her waistline and trailed down to her calves.

There was a soft knock at the door, followed by a muffled “Miss?”

She glanced over her shoulder, the movement causing her hair to tumble over one shoulder while she still attended to her earrings. “Come in.”

“Good evening,” A nameless maid poked her head through the half-open door. “There’s someone here for you.”

“Oh, who is it?” Auddie replied, narrowing her eyes at her reflection as she struggled to put on the second earring. “If it's a blonde woman, tell her she can have whatever she wants from my brother’s liquor. I’ll be right there.”

“It's actually, uh, Mr. Shelby, miss.”

Auddie’s heart skipped a beat, causing her to drop the earring to the floor. She swore under her breath, flushing at the girlishness of it all. “Please, let him in, I’ll be there in a moment.” She reached for the tiny diamond, fumbling with it as she placed it on her ear.

The woman nodded, shutting the door behind her. Auddie reached for her handkerchief and quickly wiped off the crimson lipstick she had just applied.

She took a deep breath in an attempt to quell the thumping of her heart as she stepped down the hallway, her heels clicking against the hardwood floors. She peered into the parlor. His back was to her as he stood by the liquor cabinet, obviously fixing himself a drink. His jacket was tossed onto the back of the sofa with his briefcase sitting beside the low table. Auddie smiled, he always looked so… sharp.

“Making yourself at home?”

“Very much so,” Tommy answered mid-pour, placing the crystalline decanter onto the cabinet and taking a swig from his glass. He glanced at her from over his shoulder through his glasses. “Compliments to your brother, he has quite the collection.”

Auddie rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe. He turned to her, eyebrows raised as he slowly looked her up and down.

“Where are you going?”

Auddie smirked, shrugging.

“Aren’t you going to come and greet me?”

“Hm,” She brought a finger to her lips. “I think I’m all set over here.”

“I’ll talk from here then,” Tommy nodded, motioning to distance in between them. “I was in the area, and came by to see if you wanted to come by mine for the weekend.”

Auddie paused, smiling slightly. She shifted her gaze from his face to the bay window. “I can’t.”

He tilted his head, parting his lips. “Schedule full?”

She nodded, her smile growing.

“Huh,” He took a sip of his drink. “Date?”

“Yeah,” Auddie glanced all around the room coyly, mulling over his words. “Something like that.”

“Ah, it’s a shame for me then.”

She shook her head solemnly, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You never stood a chance.”

“Figured as much.” Tommy sighed. “Maybe you can find the time for me this weekend.”

“I’ll have to take it into consideration. My secretaries will look over my schedule.”

“You have secretaries now, eh?” He looked at her from over the rim of his glass.

“Of course.” She winked.

Auddie found herself in a stalemate with him on who was going to make the first move. Tommy had taken a seat, lounging back into the leather with one leg crossed over the other. He, quite obviously, had no intention of moving. In fact, Auddie mused that he probably didn’t have to move for most things in his life. Particularly with women.

Auddie groaned, rolling her eyes and crossing the room to stand in front of him.

“Can I help you?” Tommy glanced up at her, placing his empty glass on the table beside him.

“Move your legs.” 

Tommy obliged, uncrossing his legs so she could sit on his lap. He placed one hand on her waist and the other on her thigh, his fingertips bunching up the fabric of her dress. She could smell the remnants of whiskey and cigarette on his breath.

“If you really want to know,” Auddie brushed her thumb over his cheekbone. “I’m going out with a girl I work with, and her friends, I suppose.”

“Ah,” He leaned forehead, pressing a chaste kiss on her lips. “What's the plan?”

“Not sure. Something about a pub. Somewhere in Birmingham.”

“Very nice.” He nodded his head.

“I’d like to see you, though.”

“You’re seeing me now.”

“Oh, don’t play that,” She huffed. “You know what I mean.”

“Tomorrow,” He continued. “If you’re in one piece after tonight, that is.”

“Tomorrow.” Auddie echoed. “I wish you could come.” She kissed him before he could respond, desperately trying to convey all of her adoration in one gesture. “But secrecy, and all of that, I know the drill.”

Tommy shook his head. “No, I’m too old. You don’t want an old man spoiling your fun.”

“You’re not old.” Auddie paused, stifling a laugh. “Well, not  _ that  _ old.”

“Thin fucking ice, Miss Fraser.”

“Or what?”

He grinned, pinching her thigh. “Tomorrow. Come to me in one piece tomorrow.”

Auddie kissed him, this time she nibbled on his bottom lip, but pulled away before it could go any further.

“If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you.” She snaked her arms around his neck, brushing her fingers against his velvet hair. “Does that mean you’ll be in your office in Birmingham all night?” 

“I mean it.” He held her face with one of his hands, forcing her to look at him. “You know where to find me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all of your comments, they make my day- thank you times a million!


	22. A Bad Apple

**“MALCOLM,** go ahead.”

Tommy heard the front door shut, followed by the revving of an engine. He could almost picture Auddie’s reaction to the message from the butler. A kind smile with a quick nod of her head, and a final pat goodbye on Belmont Jr’s nose. He felt sad, almost. The theft, however, was at the forefront of his mind.

“Right,” Malcolm cleared his throat. “Let me light a cigarette first, I suggest you do the same.”

Tommy sighed, perhaps he _would_ need one. He balanced the phone in between his shoulder and ear, reaching for his lighter and case from his pocket.

“I’m going to fax over some documents I’ve been putting together. When are you meeting with Frank?”

“Within the next few weeks, or sooner, depending on how this conversation goes.”

“Well, I’ll be sure to give you both a lot to talk about,” Malcolm replied, his voice muffled, probably due to a cigarette that was perched between his lips.

“Let’s get to it, Malcolm.”

Malcolm began to recount the events of his time thus far in Boston to Tommy and made sure he did so in grave detail. So detailed, in fact, that he did not spare a single piece of mundane information, including what he had been eating for breakfast almost every day. Tommy could feel a migraine coming on.

When he initially arrived in Boston, there was nothing out of the ordinary. All Fraser-owned docks, factories, and warehouses were operating as usual. Malcolm reminded Tommy that these facilities were mostly staffed by his extended Fraser cousins, along with a few family friends here and there, but, for the most part, it was run by all Frasers. A handful of his cousins knew about the true nature of the automobiles they were shipping out across the prohibition-ridden USA. Bootlegged alcohol tucked away inside of cars. How clever.

“Before you say anything, my cousins are trustworthy.” Malcolm paused for a moment, waiting for Tommy to respond. He continued speaking when he received silence. “How do I know? They haven’t snitched to my older brother about anything. He doesn’t have a clue, and believe me, if he did, I wouldn’t be on the phone talking to you right now.”

Tommy rolled his eyes, taking a sharp inhale from his cigarette.

Malcolm continued on, commenting that nothing seemed out of place until he started to notice a few new faces handling the cargo. This was his first red flag. 

He had put his cousin, Ben Fraser, in charge of hiring and managing the men who worked in the Fraser facilities. Malcolm claimed that he had made it _explicitly_ clear that anyone new who was to be hired had to be vetted by Malcolm himself first. 

Normally, that was what happened. That was how the business had been running since Malcolm relocated to London, and began trying his hand at expanding the Fraser company name by exporting goods to the states. 

The hiring process would go something like this: Malcolm would get a phone call from Ben, a few faxed resumes, and from there he would give the final word on if they would be hired or not. It was simple, easy. This time, however, he had no idea that Ben was hiring so many people.

 _Too trusting._ Tommy grimaced, fixating his gaze on a random portrait on the wall. If looks could kill, the whole room would be set on fire.

With the unforeseen hiring increase in mind, Malcolm made it a point from there to start talking to everyone who was new, or at least, new to him. Despite his best efforts, and he _swore_ to Tommy that they were his best efforts, he found no leads as to where the missing crates were, or who was responsible.

“I was thorough with my initial investigation. I even called over a few of your guys from a couple of docks away for help, and geez, they’re scary as all hell.”

There was one man, however, who managed to get ensnared in Malcolm’s trap.

“He was more like a kid. Really scrawny and barely twenty, I’d say.” Malcolm explained. “I had never seen him before, didn’t recognize his face or his name either. I asked him some basic questions, and he wouldn’t give me a straight answer.”

Tommy was silent. He crossed one leg over the other and bounced his knee.

“So, desperate times call for desperate measures,” Malcolm continued. “I paid him off. I promised him a few vials of snow and a couple of bottles of gin in exchange for information.”

“I’m hoping it worked.” Tommy scoffed, tapping excess ash off of his cigarette and onto the floor.

“Oh, it worked, and then some.”

The kid told him that he was hired _exactly_ three months prior by Ben Fraser himself and that he was hired to specifically handle the loading and unloading of the cargo from the ships.

“Three months ago- he was hired three months ago! At the same time the first crate went missing. Can you believe it?” Malcolm asked, his voice rising.

“With how your story is going,” Tommy exhaled. “I think I can.”

“Anyway, there’s more.”

Malcolm took it a step further, offering to pay for any whore he wanted in exchange for additional information on who else was hired with him.

“This kid, thinking with his cock, what a good lad- agreed.” Malcolm let out an audible sigh. “Unfortunately for him, I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain. Pity. Instead of a pretty lady coming to greet him, it was a few of your guys. He nearly pissed himself. Hell, _I_ nearly pissed myself.”

Malcolm continued on to note that _after_ the kid nearly pissed himself, he came clean and told them that Ben instructed him and a few others to move specifically marked crates away from the main lot. Malcolm felt doubtful and had the kid take him to exactly where he was talking about.

“Your men, a few of my men, and I all went with him to the warehouse in the middle of the night. It was scary, I swore I saw a phantom.” Malcolm drawled. “Anyway, we have him show us everything. Then, we find one crate, one fucking crate, and it's empty. Not a single drop of liquor, or car for that matter, was in it.” 

Malcolm paused, the sound of ice tinkling against glass filling the other line, followed by a sigh. “But we found one. So, there have to be others. The next shipment is coming in tonight, my time, and I’ll have that kid snooping for me.”

“So the crates weren’t just _lost,”_ Tommy murmured, dragging his cigarette over his lips. No, losing the crates would be too good to be true. There was always a give and take.

“No, it’s not looking like a simply lost cargo issue after all. The kid said that Ben gives them an extra cut of cash for doing this and a few bottles of booze.”

“What about the other crates?”

Malcolm sighed. “We just have the empty one for now. I think it could be the second or third one that went missing, it’s not the smallest one lost, but certainly not the largest. The kid doesn’t know where the others are. He says that they just transport them into a secluded room in the back of the warehouse, and Ben takes care of it from there.”

“Do you have a list of names?”

“Yes, I’ll be faxing them over to you as soon as our business is done here,” Malcolm replied, pausing, and then continuing. “As I said, the next shipment is due to arrive tonight. I’ll be watching from behind the scenes to see exactly what Ben is doing.”

“What are you going to do if it's your cousin in the act?”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet- gotta catch him first.”

“If you catch him,” Tommy removed his glasses and placed them onto the desk. “You bring him, and all of his men, here.”

“You want me to bring… all of them here?” Malcolm’s voice wavered.

“Yes. It's simple.”

“Why would I bring all of them here? Doesn’t that seem like a bit of a hassle? Especially since I could be hauling back ten extra men.”

“An eye for an eye, Malcolm.” Tommy reached across the desk to stub his cigarette out into a crystalline ashtray. “If these are the men who stole from me, I want them here.”

“If it’s a punishment you’re looking for, I can take care of it here, in Boston, just fine.”

“I don’t care if you have to shove them into the fucking crates one by one and ship them across the ocean to me. Bring them here.”

“Alright, Mr. Shelby.” Malcolm was silent, save for the sound of a bottle being corked. “I’ll see to it.”

“When you get back, we’ll talk about the cargo that was lost.” Tommy continued. “I want you to write up a ledger of the rough estimation of the money lost from that crate you found, along with the others.”

“What do you mean, talk about the money that was lost?” Malcolm countered, his voice low. “What are you going to do about the money?”

“It’s not what _I_ am going to do,” Tommy replied, resting his elbows onto the desk. “It’s what _we_ are going to do.”

“What about the grace period you promised me? Two months to figure it out and _then_ it’s on me?”

“The grace period was so you didn’t have to pay all of the money upfront.” Tommy quipped. The migraine was certainly growing now. “The grace period was for you to find the crates, find the cars, and find the booze. Now, we’re going to get me my money back.”

“Mr. Shelby, this- this is _greatly_ unfair.”

“Such is life, Malcolm.” Tommy leaned back in his seat. “If you don’t find those other crates, I’m going to have our suppliers breathing down my fucking neck, looking for their profit. Do you know what that’s going to do for my business? Or better yet, _your_ fucking business?”

“Do I make myself clear?” Tommy continued, cutting Malcolm off from saying anything else. “These went missing under your watch. Instead of checking up on your own fucking grunts back in America, you stayed here, for two years, relying on others to get your work done. You never went back there to check up on them once.” 

Malcolm was silent. “I’ll watch them tonight, and draft up the ledger. I’ll call you if there are any new revelations.”

“Excellent. Goodbye, Malcolm.”

Tommy was just about to hang up when Malcolm cleared his throat and started speaking again.

“Wait, before you go. How’s Auddie?”

Tommy paused, clenching his jaw. “She’s fine.” He couldn’t tell if he was trying to get under his skin or not.

“I just wanted to check. I haven’t spoken to her in a while.”

Tommy hung up the phone. 

He leaned over his desk and scrubbed his hands over his face. It was never going to get easier, was it? 

A flash of lightning illuminated his office. He turned in his chair to look out of the window behind him, the shrubs lining the empty gravel driveway thrashed and swayed in the wind. The rain started pouring from the sky, pattering against the window panes with vigor. Tommy scoffed, the rain, the storm, it was almost symbolic. A peal of thunder rumbled through the house.

He pushed himself up from the desk and poured himself a glass of whatever the fuck was closest to him. He still had to pick up Charlie.

Fuck, he was supposed to be retired.

*******

He needed to speak with Polly. He needed to speak with someone, anyone.

Tommy drove straight to Ada’s, windshield wipers whistling across the glass. He couldn’t pick up Charlie now, no, not like this.

He knocked a fist against the glossy red door of Ada’s townhouse, taking a step forward onto the stoop to try and avoid any more rain from soaking into his clothes. 

The door unlocked, and Ada peered out, cautious at first, then smiling when she recognized him.

“I didn’t know you were coming by now, the weather is terrible. Charlie isn’t ready yet, either,” Ada glanced over her shoulder and then back to him. She narrowed her eyes, face contorting in worry. “Tommy? Are you ok?”

He knew he must have looked wild, his glasses were fogged from the humidity that hung in the air from the storm. “I’ll be back for Charlie in the morning.”

“Tommy, what’s going on?” She opened the door an inch more.

“Ada,” He took a step back, raising a hand. “Please.”

“Just tell me, is everything ok?”

“I’m working on it.” He took long strides toward the car, his cap and coat drenched from the rain. “I’m going to see Polly.”

Ada called for him as he slid into the car, the sound of the engine revving drowned out her voice. If it wasn’t for the pouring rain, Tommy was certain she would’ve stormed out into the street and whacked her own fists against the window.

He gripped the steering wheel with a scowl throughout the whole drive to Polly’s. He couldn’t tell if he was more upset with the crates, or the fact that he was completely soaked to the bone.

He beat his open palm at Polly’s door, the other hand clutching his briefcase. When he didn’t get an immediate response, he banged his fists three more times.

“I’m coming! Christ on his throne, there can’t be a fire with this rain.” Polly shouted, followed by the sound of clipped, precise footsteps from the other side of the door. Four locks unlatched, and she peered out from the crack in the doorway that was held in place by a chain. When she realized it was Tommy, who looked more like a wet cat than a man at this point, she freed the chain and opened the door wider. “Tommy? You look a mess, what’s going on?”

“I need to speak with you.”

Without hesitation, Polly stepped aside, waving a hand for him to enter.

The light in the house was low, casting faint shadows up and down the walls. The floorboards creaked with each step he took, each one louder than the last. Tommy tossed his cap and coat to the floor, kicking his shoes off in the process as well. He was utterly soaked.

“Before I ask anything,” Polly called from over her shoulder, stepping from the foyer and into the main room.“Drink?”

Tommy gave a curt nod and followed her into the room. Immediately, he collapsed onto one of the sofas and tossed his briefcase on the coffee table in front of him. He fumbled with the clasps, unable to get a proper grip with his hands slightly shaking. He couldn’t focus, his mind was buzzing. He had let himself get lazy, soft. Especially within the last month. Maybe Polly was right. He was romping around with a pretty young girl, while all of this shit was going on right under his nose. Pathetic.

Auddie.

When he thought of Auddie, he couldn’t help but think of Malcolm. Resentment boiled in his gut. But she wasn’t him, he told himself. She wasn’t him. He tried to stifle the feeling.

“Here.” Polly’s voice tore him from his melancholy. He glanced up, reaching for the glass she held out for him.

She took a few catlike steps back to the chair directly across from him. Her eyes were soft, eyebrows knitted together in concern. Tommy internally scoffed, it was a nice change from the anger she had been spitting at him as of late. At this point, he couldn’t blame her.

Polly began speaking after he took his first swig.

“What’s going on Thomas?”

“The crates,” He sighed, firmly placing his glass on the table beside him. “Malcolm found one of them.”

“And?”

“Empty.” Tommy ran a hand through his soaked hair, a flash of lightning from outside illuminating the entire room. “Fuckin’ empty.”

“Empty?” Her mouth was agape.

Thunder rumbled.

“Only thing left was the crate itself.”

“Hm. So they were never lost to begin with.” Polly mused, peering at Tommy from the rim of her glass. She squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. “I _knew_ it. Who’s responsible?”

“His cousin, maybe,” Tommy replied. “Malcolm’s going to try and catch him in the act tonight, their time. He’ll call me after.” He attempted to unclasp his briefcase again and took out a manilla folder. “He sent me these.” She gingerly took it from him, balancing her glass on the arm of the chair while resting the folder on her lap.

Tommy pointed to the folder.“There’s a rough, eh, _monetary_ , estimation of how much cargo was lost.”

“His cousin?” Polly repeated, quickly flipping through the stack of papers. “So the rat is in their family?” She rolled her eyes. “Not surprising. What are you going to do?”

“Wait for the call.” Tommy leaned into the sofa, crossing one leg over the other. “Figure out where we are going to get the money to make up for the total loss.”

“Make him pay,” Polly scoffed. “This happened under his watch, it’s his fault. Make him pay.”

“I told him I’d give him two months to figure it out before I made him pay in full.” He swung a hand in the air. “He held up his end of the bargain, he’s figured it out, for the most part. He and I need to work together to figure out how to make up for the loss.”

“Sloppy.” She shook her head, bracelets jingling as she placed her empty glass down. “You’re soft. Too generous.”

“I don’t want to hear it. What’s done is done.” He waved a hand at her. “You’re the company treasurer, I need a plan.”

“A plan? I wouldn’t have given him two months. I wouldn’t have given him that much leeway.” She held up the ledger Malcolm drafted, the paper crinkling in her grip. “This is _his_ fault. It's his family. We don’t even have proper insurance on the cargo.”

Tommy rolled his eyes, tapping his fingers against the back of the sofa. He swallowed back the words he so desperately wanted to spit out.

“You get like this, Tommy.” Polly reached for her own gilded cigarette case and lighter. “When you don’t sleep. Impulsive.” She placed a cigarette in between her lips, eyes flicking from the lighter to him. “Stupid.”

Tommy clenched his jaw. He _really_ didn’t want to fucking hear it.

“Regretting all that time you spent playing house with your new girl?”

“A little bit.” He tilted his head toward her, raising his eyebrows. “Happy?”

Polly smirked, delicately pulling the cigarette from her lips with two fingers.

They sat in silence, the rain pattering against the roof and the occasional rumble of the storm serving as their only other companions.

Polly sighed, fidgeting with the cigarette between her fingers and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She looked away from him, exhaled a puff of smoke, and then turned back. “If his cousin is guilty, what are you going to do?”

“I told him to bring all of the suspected men here.”

“A good start.” She bobbed her head from side to side, mulling over his words. “We can make an example of it. An eye for an eye.”

Tommy smirked wryly. “That’s what I said.”

“Ah, so you have a little bit of a brain in there after all?” Polly pointed her cigarette at him, chuckling. She inhaled before continuing. “We can make a spectacle of the whole situation. Have our suppliers there, they can get their own justice from the money that was lost. Show ‘em who we are, that we still hold the leash. Show ‘em what happens when they steal from us.”

Another strike of lightning and clap of thunder rattled the house.

“Are you still having Arthur poking around the Fraser factories?” Polly glanced at the window.

“Yes,” Tommy nodded. “He hasn’t been able to find much.”

“Good.” She flicked the ash off of the cigarette. “Keep him there. Even when Malcolm comes back. Even if it's _just_ his cousin who is responsible for this.” She paused, tapping her foot on the ground. “One bad apple spoils the bunch, Thomas.”

Tommy felt that familiar feeling boiling in his chest. He couldn’t think of the name Fraser without getting angry, and Auddie, to Tommy’s own dismay, was not exempt from that. Ben Fraser was her cousin too. She was flesh and bone with the family who tossed all of that money and cargo down the drain. It was bold of this _cousin_ to start snagging those crates. Too bold.

For the past month, he was gallivanting around with a girl whose family was betraying their own. But she had no idea, did she? It was unfair. He couldn’t lump all of the Frasers together. Malcolm’s words drifted into his mind. _She only knows the pretty side of it. And, I’d like to keep it that way._ No, he couldn’t lump her in with the rest, but then again, but the rage was always an easier emotion to deal with.

_One bad apple spoils the bunch, Thomas._

“You leave me with these.” Polly held up the folder. “I’ll look over the numbers. What do the suppliers know?”

“We’ve been telling them that there has been a delay,” Tommy replied. “That there’s a new harbormaster in Boston giving Malcolm a bit of trouble. I don’t know for how much longer we can facilitate that lie, though.”

“At least we have that to buy us time.” She sighed. “We’ll figure this out, and we’ll keep an eye on Malcolm. You need to make an example of him too.”

“He’ll be paying just as much as us, he did what he was told.” He held up two fingers. “I gave him two months, and he got us answers within that time frame.”

Tommy was torn. Despite the growing resentment he was feeling for the Fraser family name, he didn’t want to drag Auddie down with them. He knew what it was like to be a Shelby, he knew the family name could be a heavy burden. A curse, even. It looked like the scale was teetering toward infatuation.

Polly raised an eyebrow at him. “Why are you so soft on him? This is, ultimately, his fault.”

“Pol, please.” Tommy ran a hand through his damp hair.

“Oh, don’t ‘ _Pol, please’_ me.” She snapped, giving him a tight-lipped scowl. “This whole time, it's like you’ve been protecting him. It doesn’t make sense.” She shook her head. “Yes, that’s exactly it. It’s like you’ve been protecting him.”

He just stared at her.

She didn’t look at him, instead, she fixed her gaze on the other side of the room, slowly smoking her cigarette. “Or something.”

She quickly turned to him. “You stopped going to the Midland, didn’t you?”

Silence.

“You did, didn’t you?” Her voice was low. “When was the last time you went?”

“This is none of your business.” He reached for his briefcase and slammed it shut. “I came to talk to you about the crates, and nothing more.”

“I bet you stopped going a month ago.” Polly continued. “It's been almost a month since I saw you with that girl.”

Tommy froze. His heart, or whatever was left of it, sunk. He composed himself quickly and finished clasping the briefcase shut.

“That girl,” Polly repeated, her eyes widening. “Red hair.” She turned to him. “ _Red hair_.”

Tommy stood from the sofa, nodding his head at his aunt before turning toward the foyer. “Goodnight, Pol. Thank you for all of your help.”

“You fucking idiot.” She tossed the folder onto the coffee table, causing all of the papers to scatter. “Red hair. Malcolm has red hair. She’s family, isn’t she? She’s a Fraser?”

“Answer me, Thomas.” Polly rose from her seat, thunder cracked as soon as her feet hit the floor. “You’re screwing his sister.”

“Goodnight, Polly.”

*******

It was all a blur from there.

Tommy kept to himself in the days after his initial conversation with Malcolm, and consequently, Polly. He dodged questions from Ada the next morning while he was picking up Charlie, with promises that he would fill her in on the situation later. She knew of the crates, but not of his more, personal problems.

Polly was piecing it all together. He knew it was going to happen eventually, she was too sharp for anything less. He didn’t expect her to piece it together so soon.

Malcolm called him the following day to confirm that the thief was, in fact, his cousin, Ben Fraser. He explained to Tommy that he wasn’t going to call his cousin out just yet, he wanted to slink around behind the scenes, and see where he was bringing the cargo. They still had that kid feeding them additional information. Perhaps then they would have an idea as to where the goods were being sent off to, and make some of their money back.

Through it all, he felt poorly about Auddie. He was too angry, he couldn’t call her like this. He couldn’t go see her like this.

Instead, he made it a point to visit Lizzie and the baby that week. When he arrived at her apartment, he could see the hesitancy in her eyes, the cautious way she moved throughout each room while he was there. He could see it in the way she watched him hold little Ruby. Eventually, the hesitancy turned to joy, and he could see it as clear as day. The joy in her eyes at the fact that he had actually come over on his own volition. As they sat there, cooing at the baby and making small talk, his mind was elsewhere. More specifically, with someone else. 

Lizzie knew about the crates, she knew about Malcolm. His real reason for coming by was to see if Polly had gotten around to tell her the true identity of the new girl he had been seeing- Auddie Fraser. Much to his relief, Lizzie didn’t seem to have a clue. If she did have a clue, she wouldn’t be playing nice with him. Not like this.

As always, the ever-teetering scale of guilt and selfishness was making a mess of his mind.

Tommy was in London that Friday. He stepped into his car, tossing his briefcase into the back. He leaned against the warm leather, summer was roaring on. As he cleaned his glasses with the hem of his jacket, his mind drifted to Auddie, as it most frequently did, despite the current _situation._

He wasn’t her boss necessarily, but he was her employer. He contracted her service out to Honorhall under the Shelby company name. He knew he was going to have a free evening, so he went ahead and checked her own work schedule for the day. Her business, consequently, was his business after all. She had the day off.

It was then that he decided he would toss a coin.

Heads for Auddie, and tails for, well, everything else.

He flicked the coin in the air and caught it deftly in the palm of his hand. He took a deep breath and opened his hand.

He twisted the keys into the ignition and sighed as the engine hummed to life.

To Auddie’s house, it was.

*******

Tommy lifted the metal door knocker and struck it three times. A maid answered, greeting him and timidly whispering over her shoulder to a hidden figure. Eventually, she stepped aside and opened the door wider.

“Please, come in Mr. Shelby. Miss Fraser will be with you in a moment.”

He followed her inside and up the stairs. He noticed the mish-mash of items strewn about the house. An ornately carved wooden table sat at the top of the staircase, with a vase full of wilting wildflowers, surrounded by half-open books with worn pages, a glimmering bracelet here, and a sketch of a horse there. A delicate balance of grandeur and informality. Auddie. All that was missing was a mushroom or two.

The maid led him into the parlor, the one room in the house that he had become quite familiar with. He gave her a curt nod as she left the room, and immediately fixed his gaze on the cabinet tucked away in the far corner.

He poured himself a drink, he wasn’t sure of exactly what, all he knew was that Malcolm spent far too much money on foreign liquor. He shrugged, what did he care, he wasn’t footing the bill.

“Making yourself at home?”

A small smirk found its way onto his lips. 

“Very much so,” Tommy replied, placing the crystalline decanter of some alcohol he couldn’t fucking pronounce back onto the cabinet. He took a quick swig and glanced at her from over his shoulder. “Compliments to your brother, he has quite the collection.”

Drink in hand, he turned to face her. Auddie stood there, leaning against the doorframe with her hair curled over her shoulder and dressed in a little black thing. She held his gaze for a brief moment, before dropping it to the floor. As each second passed by, he could see a rosy hue spreading across her cheeks.

This was, rather quickly, becoming another exercise in self-control, similar to their night at that party together. The only thing that saved him from following Auddie down the hall and pulling her into the first bedroom he could find in this fucking house was that nagging sense of guilt.

“Where are you going?”

They soon found themselves entangled in each other, with Auddie on his lap and his hands on her hips. So much for resentment, eh? She explained her plans for the evening to him, going out with some friends from work to some shit pub in Birmingham. His original plan was to bring her back to Arrow House for the weekend. It looked like that place was turning into a refuge for them. A knot formed in the back of his mind. He started to feel worried for her.

Of course, she would be fine going out with these… friends. On the off chance something went wrong, however, who would she call? She didn’t have anyone here, the only family she had was an ocean away.

What could go wrong? Well, something in the shape of his aunt, he supposed. The chances of Auddie running into Polly in a random pub in Birmingham were incredibly slim. Perhaps it would be more likely that she would run into someone who knew Polly, or Arthur, or Lizzie, or fucking anyone associated with a Shelby, and would put the pieces together. There weren’t too many Americans running around the city, especially redheads. 

With how his luck was going lately, he wasn’t sure if he could call himself a betting man anymore.

He decided, possibly against his better judgment, that he would wait for her. 

“If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you.” She snaked her arms around his neck, brushing her fingers against the cropped hair on the back of his head. “Does that mean you’ll be in your office in Birmingham all night?” 

He barely slept anyway, staying in his office at the back of the shop probably wouldn’t change much.

“I mean it.” He held her face with one of his hands, forcing her to look at him. “You know where to find me.”

He could see the flecks of blue in her eyes amongst the pool steely gray, red curls framing her face. She placed a hand over his and smiled. Guilt, as always, shot through his chest. He felt guilty for the resentment that boiled in his chest throughout the past few days. The web of lies he had spun was starting to get tangled into a gruesome knot, and for once, he wasn’t sure if his silver tongue would get him out of it. The scale seemed to be teetering toward infatuation.

His gut wrenched at the fact that he was considering tossing her to the wayside with the flip of a fucking coin- even if it was for her own good.

“I’ll find you later.” Auddie leaned down to kiss him. “I promise.”

At that point, he didn’t even care that the coin had landed on tails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter!! I am so excited to share more of this story! Thank you for reading, let me know what you think!
> 
> I am trying to stay true to the asshole Tommy Shelby tag :,)


	23. A Razor

**TOMMY** walked her to the car.

“Be careful tonight.” He called from the sidewalk, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

Auddie rolled her eyes, winking while she opened the car door. “I’ll be fine,  _ dad _ . I promise to be home before curfew!”

He shook his head and flashed her a grin while she lingered beside the car. Auddie glanced back and forth between Tommy and the car, her heart twisting itself into knots. With a sigh, she tossed her clutch into the passenger’s seat and shut the door, rounding the back of the car toward him.

Gripping the lapels of his coat, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Can’t get enough of me, eh?” 

“Hush.” Auddie bit her lip, smoothing her hands over his coat. “I just thought you were entitled to a goodbye kiss, that’s all.”

“How generous of you.” Tommy hummed as he looked down at her, his glasses glinting in the light of the setting sun. Auddie kept her gaze focused on the buttons of his vest for a few moments, before glancing up at him. She felt utterly foolish as she stood there, simply admiring him. The way his suit was cut around his body, the flecks of silver in his hair, the smoothly sharp cheekbones of his face. Perhaps foolish was too nice of a word, she felt stupid, mooning over him once again.

His lips quirked in amusement. “As much as I’d love for you to stare at me like that for the rest of the night,” he leaned in close to her ear, voice low, “I’d hate to make you late.”

Auddie flushed, releasing her grasp on his coat. She took a step back, clearing her throat, feeling exceptionally stupid. He chuckled, brushing a stray curl from her face. “Come to me later.”

*******

Auddie stood in front of a red brick townhouse, glancing up from the crumpled note she clutched in her hands to the house number that was plastered on the door. She squinted, giving it a double-take. It seemed to match.

Rows of faded brick townhouses lined either side of the street, the air heavy with thick smog from the industrial plants that surrounded the area. Liza lived closer to Honorhall than she initially realized, musing that their workplace was probably only a few blocks away. If she was that close to Honorhall, then she was just as close to Tommy’s office in the back of that shop. Auddie couldn’t help but smile.

She shook her head, groaning. It wasn’t about him tonight. It was about her, having fun with new… friends. But if she had the time, maybe she would pay him a visit later. Maybe.

The door swung open before Auddie could even knock. Liza stood in the doorway with a hand on her hip, dressed in a lavender robe with her cropped honey-colored hair pinned back. She furrowed her eyebrows at Auddie as she gave her a once-over.

“You got ready without us!”

Auddie smiled sheepishly. “I was just trying to save some time.”

Liza shook her head, clicking her tongue against her teeth. “You look so beautiful, now you’re just making me look bad.” She stepped aside and wildly gestured for her to come in. “The boys are already drinking in the kitchen,” she rolled her eyes, “But you can come hang out with the rest of us girls in my room.”

She practically dragged Auddie into the house and down the hallway, locking the door behind them once they were in her bedroom.

There was another girl in the room, clad in her own robe with curlers in her hair. She dusted rouge across her cheeks, her eyes fixated on her reflection within the tiny silver compact she held in her hand. At the sound of the door slamming shut, her gaze flicked up to Liza and Auddie.

“Miss Eva,” Liza clapped her hands together, taking a seat at her vanity. “This is Auddie, she’s the one from Honorhall I told you about.” She looked at Auddie through the mirror. “Miss Auddie, this is Eva, a longtime friend of mine.”

“Too long, some would say.” Eva scoffed, rolling her eyes with a smirk. She snapped the compact shut, extending a hand toward Auddie. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I’m so excited to show you around tonight.”

Auddie shook her hand, smiling. “You too. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

Eva grinned and returned to her compact, now combing mascara on her lashes. Liza babbled in the background, her voice slowly becoming nothing more than a hum in the back of Auddie’s mind while she waited for the two of them to finish getting ready.

She fidgeted with the clutch she had brought along with her, the silky fabric gleaning in the light. There was a moment where she considered bringing along her prized satchel, but then again, she couldn’t imagine anything more embarrassing than lugging that leather sack around with her from pub to pub. Maybe a burlap sack full of fiddleheads would be slightly more embarrassing. She smirked and wondered what Tommy would have thought.

*******

Liza frowned at her reflection, smoothing a hand over the olive green dress she wore. “What do you think? Is this the one?” Her nails clicked against the beads.

Eva rolled her eyes. “Liz, it’s fine.” She tucked a curl behind her ear. “The boys are going to kill us if we leave them out there any longer.”

“ _ They’re  _ fine, I gave them full access to any and all of my alcohol.” Liza turned toward Auddie, pouting. “What do you think?”

Auddie smiled. “I think it looks perfect.”

Liza grinned and jerked her head toward Eva. “See? Was that so hard?”

Eva waved a hand at her and reached for the doorknob. “Hurry up now, the boys are probably a drink or two deep already, and I’m still painfully sober.” The white fringe of her dress swished at her knees with every moment she made.

“A drink or two is awfully generous, I’d bet it's closer to five,” Liza replied, checking her reflection one more time. She looped her arm around Auddie’s and tugged her toward the door with a wink. “Let me introduce you to the boys. You’ll love Joseph, he’s mad for redheads.”

*******

“Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence.” One man in a navy blue suit approached them with a drink in his hand and a crooked grin on his face.

“It's not easy looking this good.” Liza grinned, plucking the drink from him and taking a swig. “Joseph, this is my friend Auddie, from Honorhall. Auddie, this is Joseph, another longtime friend of mine.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” He reached for Auddie’s extended hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re a saint for being contractually obligated to deal with our Liza for all hours of the day.”

“Oh, save it,” Liza nudged him in the side. “You would be lost without me.” She pulled Auddie away toward a liquor cabinet. “Over there is Sam.” She pointed to another young man who stood by the kitchen table with Eva. She dutifully set aside two glasses and began pouring a generous helping of gin in each.“We can all get to know each other more later. First, let’s catch up with the boys, shall we?”

Liza clinked their glasses together, laughing wildly. “Cheers to new friends, and hopefully, being terribly drunk by the morning.”

*******

Their first stop was a place called the Huntsman. It was only a little past nightfall, and both the people and the pub itself were gilded, plush, and booming. Jazz music melded together with the noise of the increasingly drunk crowd. 

The five of them were crammed into a snug leather booth, too drunk to care about any potential discomfort. Eva sat beside her, while Liza and Sam sat across from her, each of them laughing loudly at a shared joke. Joseph was off fetching another round of drinks from the bar, per Liza’s request.

Auddie sipped her gin and fell into a daze, her red lipstick leaving a mark on the rim of the glass. They had all gone through a staggering amount of alcohol at Liza’s place, and Auddie could feel her cheeks warming from the sheer volume of it all. 

She stared at all of the unfamiliar faces in the crowd and, to no one's surprise, found herself missing Tommy. A pang of sorrow shot through her chest. Her gaze drifted to a couple who sat together at the bar, holding hands and laughing. Auddie sighed, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. How desperately she wished she could go to a pub with Tommy, just the two of them, with no secrets, no hiding. The sorrow turned to jealousy, and she took a hefty swig of her drink in an attempt to cover up the emotion. There was always a give and take.

Eventually, Joseph returned, placing several drinks down on the table to the best of his ability. Liza snorted when he accidentally spilled a helping of Sam’s pint onto his shirt. 

“Is this seat taken?” Joseph cleared his throat and motioned to the empty space in the booth beside her.

Auddie shook her head, shuffling away to make more room. “Be my guest.”

“Excellent,” He replied, running a hand through his dark hair. Auddie couldn't help but notice how the way his own cropped hairstyle reminded her of Tommy's. She cringed at herself, perhaps the gin was making her too melancholic.

Joseph’s voice tore her from her thoughts. “Can I ask you a question?”

“The floor is yours.” She waved a hand in the air.

“How’d you find that job at Honorhall? I can’t imagine many people are fighting to work at that place. Especially not someone from across the ocean.” He jerked his chin toward Liza. “Except for our Liza here.”

Liza rolled her eyes, sipping her drink.

Auddie chuckled, tapping her fingers against the side of her glass, drawing shapes with the droplets of condensation that dampened her fingertips. “An associate of my brother’s recommended me for the job there, actually. It's been lovely.” She tilted her head toward Liza. “Especially with Liza.”

Liza blew her a kiss. “See? I’m lovely.”

The table collectively scoffed.

“If it's all the same to you, Auddie,” Liza wiggled her eyebrows. “Can I tell them who  _ exactly  _ recommended you for the job?”

Auddie blinked. “Go right ahead.” She didn’t understand why that would be such a big deal.

Liza reached across the table and placed a gloved hand on Joseph’s forearm. “Joe, you are going to _die_.” She gestured to Sam who sat beside her. “You too, Sam.”

The blonde took a quick swig of her drink and cleared her throat. “ _Thomas Shelby_ recommended her for the job.” She paused, glancing at everyone wildly, her voice rising. “Can you believe it?”

The table, amidst the chaos of the pub around them, went silent. Joseph was the first one to break into the conversation.

“Are you talking about Shelby Company Ltd Thomas Shelby, or perhaps, is there a less nefarious Thomas Shelby around here that we don’t know about?” Joseph quipped, inciting laughter from everyone.

_ Nefarious? _

Auddie, feeling quite embarrassed, tried laughing along too, just to fill the void. She took a quick sip of her gin.

“No, really,” Joseph continued, gesturing to Auddie with his whiskey. “Is it him?”

Slowly, she nodded her head, forcing her best smile.

“Woah,” Joseph sat back in the booth, sarcasm lacing his voice. “Would you take a look at that? We’re in the company of Small Heath royalty tonight ladies and gentleman.”

“What kind of business does your brother do then?” Eva muttered, peering up at Auddie from the rim of her glass. 

“Exports and manufacturing,” Auddie replied, her voice wavering. She was beginning to feel like the punchline of a joke she didn't fully understand.

“What’s your last name again?” Sam turned toward her, clearly fighting the urge to smirk at her.

“Fraser.”

“Fraser.” He repeated, rubbing his chin with his hand. “Come to think of it, I’ve seen that name plastered up on some warehouses around here.” He slammed his pint on the table. “You’re right Joe, we really are in Small Heath royalty tonight.” The two men continued laughing, while Eva shook her head, smoothing out the tangled fringe on her lap. 

Auddie continued smiling. She just didn't understand. Small Heath royalty? She didn't even know what that meant.

“Alright, alright.” Liza waved a hand at them, clicking her tongue. “Settle down now, the jokes over.”

_ Joke? _

“No, no.” Joseph retorted, adjusting his position so he could lean against the table. “I have to know more, in fact, I  _ need _ to know more.” He turned to Auddie. “How much do you know about Thomas Shelby?”

Auddie froze. How much did she know about Tommy? She could feel her heart sinking. Hell, she didn’t even know how to answer that question for herself. She opened her mouth to respond, but Joseph quickly cut her off.

“That’s all the answer I need.” He shook his head with a grin. “I’ll give you a little piece of advice. Watch. Your. Eyes.” He pointed two fingers from his eyes to hers.

Joseph and Sam burst out into laughter, and even Eva began giggling this time. Auddie could barely hear her own thoughts over the sounds of their laughter, the noise from the crowded pub seemed to be a whisper in comparison.

Liza cleared her throat, narrowing her eyes at the three of them. “Enough, all of you.” 

“All I’m saying is, she makes a funny friend for some rough Brummie chap from a factory town.” Joseph held his hands up in mock defense. Eva smirked.

“I’m going to get another drink.” Liza sighed, standing from the booth. She pointed to Auddie’s glass. “You look like you could use one too, come with me.” 

Auddie stared at her half-empty drink. “Oh, I think I’m-”

“No,” Liza picked up her glass and finished it off in one fell swoop. “You could use another drink. Come on!”

Begrudgingly, Auddie shuffled out of the booth, brushing past Joseph with a grimace in the process. Liza looped her arm with hers and dragged her through the crowds of people to the bar.

“I’m sorry about them,” Liza whispered, placing their glasses on the bartop. 

“No, no, it's fine,” Auddie replied, forcing a smile. “I can take a little razzing.” Christ, she wasn’t even sure what she was being razzed about.

“It's not fine.” Liza slid onto a barstool. “I didn’t realize they would take the Shelby thing so far.”

Auddie took a deep breath, keeping the smile on her lips. “Liza, it's fine.” She placed a hand on her gloved forearm. “Really, it is. I’m having so much fun.”

Auddie had no idea what she meant by the “Shelby thing,” and at this point, she didn't even want to ask.

“If you say so.”

*******

The night air was cool on her skin when they eventually left the Huntsman. Sam and Joseph stumbled ahead of them, loudly laughing and talking about nothing. Liza and Eva trailed far behind with Auddie.

“They’re idiots,” Eva glanced at Auddie out of the corner of her eye while lighting a cigarette. She shook out the flame. “Don’t worry about them. They see a pretty girl and lose all sense of touch.” Auddie gave her a half-smile.

“Look at us!” Joseph called, walking backward now. He took his cap off and pretended to swipe at Sam’s face. Sam feigned injury, covering his face with his hands and wailing. “I can be a Shelby too! Joseph Shelby!”

Auddie was dumbfounded, an emotion she was getting all too familiar with this evening. _Watch. Your. Eyes._

“Will you two shut up?” Liza shouted, shaking her head. “I need a cigarette now, Ev.” She extended a gloved hand to the brunette, plucking a cigarette from the case. While she lit her own, she tilted her head to Auddie, her voice muffled. “Cigarette?”

Auddie felt a migraine ripping through her temples. “Please.”

“You know what we should do?” Sam began, clapping a hand on Joseph’s back. “We should head down the road to Small Heath. Tonight.”

Liza exhaled a cloud of smoke and shook her head. “You’re mad.”

“No, no,” Joseph continued, his eyes flicking back and forth from Liza to Sam. “I think Sam’s onto something.”

Sam grinned. “We should go to the Garrison.”

“Well, we’re with royalty, after all.” Joseph jerked his chin toward Auddie. “She works for not just any Shelby, she works for  _ the  _ Shelby. I bet we could get free drinks all night.”

“I think you both have had too much to drink,” Liza scoffed, balancing the cigarette in between her rosy lips. “Let’s just go to the Moorside pub, it’s closer and we always have a good time there.”

“We  _ always  _ go to the Moorside.” Sam groaned, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’ve never been to the Garrison before.”

“I have half a brain to  _ not _ go there. It's not in a good area- this is a terrible idea."

“Imagine the free drinks, though.” Eva quipped, fiddling with the cigarette she perched in between her fingers.

Liza raised her eyebrows and snapped her head toward Eva. “Not you too, Ev.” She sighed, tossing her cigarette to the ground and stamping it out with her heel. “The fact that I am being the voice of reason right now, means you three are all drunk out of your damn minds.”

Eva shrugged. “Free drinks are free drinks.”

“Why don’t we let our new friend pick, yeah?” Joseph made his way toward Auddie and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He pulled her toward him and leaned close into her ear. “What do you say? You work for the Shelby's, after all.”

Auddie blinked, she could feel her palms getting clammy. She wiggled her toes in her heels.

“C’mon, Auddie.” Joseph continued, “What do you say?”

"I'm not even sure what the Garrison is," Auddie replied, voice wavering.

Liza took a few rushed steps toward her, her green eyes wide with worry. She opened her mouth to speak, but Joseph cut her off.

"It's owned by your boss! Not just _anyone_ gets to go there." 

Auddie felt torn. If it was owned by Tommy, it had to be fine, right? Tommy was fine. He wouldn't mind if she was there, it wasn't necessarily a secret that she was his employee. Rather, the more, personal nature of their correspondence was a secret. She wouldn't be breaking any rules. No one would be the wiser. Besides, she was planning on seeing him later that evening anyway. Maybe, he'd be there, and he'd be happy to see her. There was another part of her, a stupid part of her, that wanted to impress these people. Her new... friends, if she could even call them that.

Whatever happened, she would blame it on the gin.

"Auddie, you don't have to listen to him, he's chronically an idiot."

Auddie took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment. When she opened her eyes, she forced herself to smile and wriggled out of Joseph’s grip.

“What’s the harm?” Auddie cleared her throat, still smiling. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be coming back later to make some edits to this chapter, so I apologize if there are any glaring errors! Thank you for reading :)


	24. A Truth

**A** log popped in the fireplace, causing the flames to stretch and grow. It was late, too late to be working, especially on a Friday, but the stack of papers on his desk didn’t seem to be dwindling anytime soon.

The lamp on the desk was the only source of light in his office, save for the flames that cast hazy, ever-moving shadows across the room. The scratch of pen on paper melded with the sound of the ticking grandfather clock. Tick tick tick. 

Eventually, the clock rang out for midnight, the sound echoing through the room. Tommy sighed, dropping his pen onto the scattered papers and leaning back into his chair. The sound of the bells chiming combined with an oncoming migraine served as a sign that perhaps, he should take a break. 

He rolled his wrists and cracked his neck, working out cramps that had built up over several hours of sitting hunched over a desk. He shook his head, smirking wryly. He remembered the times where blood-stained shirts and scarred hands were the products of a job well done. Nowadays, he filled out document after document and only got back pain as his reward- and graying hair. When did he get so old?

Tommy pushed himself up from the desk and made his way toward the liquor cabinet, fixing himself a drink and tossing it back in one swift motion. He quickly poured another, and this time brought the glass with him over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. He collapsed onto the furniture, crossing one leg over the other, and stared into the fire. Really, when did he get so old? 

The flames danced and gleaned in his glasses, taunting him, almost. First, it was the shadows moving, he didn’t need the flames to start haunting him by twisting into ungodly shapes. He sipped his drink.

Once he felt his melancholy at bay, the phone rang, as it always seemed to do when he had just begun to settle into a single moment of peace. He finished his drink, placing the empty glass on the mantle with an audible sigh. He slinked over to his desk, picking up the phone and clearing his throat into the receiver.

“Thomas Shelby.”

“Tom? It's Arthur.” An all too familiar voice called from the other line.

Tommy raised an eyebrow, this was unusual. He pushed the stacks of paper to one side of his desk and scanned his schedule for the day. He hadn’t missed anything, and he certainly wasn’t forgetting anything.

“Arthur,” Tommy echoed, still standing. “What’s going on?”

“Well, uh,” Arthur continued, his voice muffled by the lull of jazz music in the background. Tommy cut him off before he could respond.

“First of all, where are you?”

“The Garrison.”

“Is there something wrong at the Garrison?”

“Well, yes, actually.”

Tommy rolled his eyes. It was probably another bar fight that got out of hand. Typical, especially for a Friday. While they were trying to clean up their family’s image, rowdy bar fights here and there were inevitable. Especially at the Garrison.

“Listen, I told you before, if a few guys get out of hand at the bar, use whatever force you think is necessary, but clean up your mess after.”

“It’s not a fight,” Arthur answered quickly. 

“Then spit it out.” 

“I’m getting to it, yeah?” Arthur cleared his throat. “I understand that the _situation_ you’re in requires a bit of espionage or something, but I don’t know what to do.”

“Just fuckin’ say it.”

“Your girl, the redhead,” Arthur replied. “The Fraser one? I’m pretty sure she’s here, at the Garrison, right now. I just thought you should know, since your relationship is well, you know.”

Tommy almost dropped the phone. He sat in his leather chair, pulling himself closer to the desk so he could rest his elbows atop the mounds of papers.

“Are you fucking sure it's her?”

Arthur paused for a moment before answering. “Well, I’m pretty sure. There's not many redhead American girls around here.”

He tilted his head back and stared up at the ceiling. He sucked in a deep breath. “What is she doing?”

“She’s at a booth with a few others,” His brother continued, his voice gruff on the phone. “I’m not sure about her, but they’re drunk as all hell.”

_Excellent, really excellent._

“I’ll ask this once. Are there any other Shelby’s there right now?”

“No, Tom. Finn was here a little while ago, but he left. It's just me and a bunch of regulars.”

Well, at least he had that going for him. 

“Alright Arthur, listen carefully.” Tommy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I need you to bring her here, to the shop.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“It’s the only idea.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I just wanted to let you know she was here, since you seem to be keeping tabs on her, is all.”

“I am fucking sure.” Tommy snapped. “Just bring her to my office. I’ll explain more later.”

“Is this like a kidnapping, Tom? What if she doesn’t want to be brought there?”

“It’s not a _kidnapping_.” He rolled his eyes, drumming his fingers on the table. “She’ll know who you are. She’ll know what this is about. Bring her here.”

He hung up the phone.

*******

The sound of a car door shutting snapped Tommy back to reality. He sat at his desk, cigarette dangling between his fingers, with one leg crossed over the other. The flames continued to dance in the reflection of his glasses.

He could see two shadowy figures in the hallway through the frosted glass of his office doors. 

“Come in,” Tommy shouted before anyone could knock. No need for formalities tonight.

The door creaked open, with Arthur poking his head through first.

“I got her, Tom.”

“Bring her in.” He waved a hand at his brother.

Arthur ducked away and whispered something to her. The door opened a bit wider, and instead of Arthur, Auddie stepped through this time.

Tommy brought the cigarette to his lips and beckoned for her to step into his office further with two fingers. “Sit, please.”

Auddie nodded, sitting in one of the twin chairs across from his desk. She smoothed out her dress on her lap and placed her purse on the floor by her feet.

“I have to speak with my brother,” Tommy exhaled, standing from the desk. “I’ll be right back.”

She nodded again, her eyes meeting his for only a moment, before focusing her gaze onto her hands on her lap. He felt his heart twist itself into a violent knot.

Tommy followed Arthur into the hallway and closed the double doors behind him with a click.

“What’s going on, Tom?” Arthur asked, his eyebrows creasing together. A strand of hair fell across his forehead.

“Polly knows it's her,” Tommy cut him off, smoke trailing from his mouth with each word he spoke. “That she’s Malcolm’s sister.”

“Oh, shit.” Arthur blinked. “When did she find out?”

“A few days ago,” Tommy replied, dragging the cigarette across his lips. He turned back to his brother. “Do you see why she can’t be at the Garrison now? Or better yet, all of fucking Small Heath as a whole.”

“Yeah,” His brother sighed, voice low. “Shit, Tom, you really know how to pick ‘em.”

“Polly’s livid.” Tommy continued, tapping excess ash off of his cigarette and onto the floor. “Fuckin’ livid.”

“I mean, it _was_ a Fraser who stole from us,” Arthur commented, shrugging. “And lost us a fuck ton of money. I can see why she’d be livid with you traipsin’ around with one of ‘em.”

Tommy clenched his jaw, narrowing his eyes at his brother. If looks could kill…

“Hey, hey, I don’t got a problem with it,” Arthur held his hands up in defense, taking a step back. “Just playing devil’s advocate, or whatever. But it doesn’t matter, yeah? She’s not the one who stole. She seems like a good enough girl.”

“Yeah.” Tommy glanced back to his office, he could make out the top of Auddie’s head from where she sat through the frosted glass. 

“Does Lizzie know?”

“Not yet.”

“Fuck.” Arthur shook his head solemnly.

“Now, enough with the fucking questions.” Tommy snapped, tendrils of white-hot anger streaking through his vision.

“Alright, alright.”

“Just keep this between us,” Tommy glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “Until I figure things out.”

Arthur clapped a hand on his back. “You got it, Tom.” His footsteps echoed in the corridor as he walked down the hall. He glanced at Tommy from over his shoulder and gave him a curt nod, before exiting the shop.

Tommy let out a heavy sigh, shoving his hands into the pockets of his waistcoat and turning toward his office. He could still see the top of her head, she hadn’t moved a bit. He took another drag from his cigarette and exhaled a cloud of dark smoke, watching it dissipate upwards into vast nothingness.

He couldn’t help but smile when she flinched at the sound of the doors opening.

“Drink?” Tommy raised an eyebrow at her, speaking with the cigarette in between his lips.

“I think I’d rather die than have any alcohol ever again in my life.”

“Rough night?” 

“You could say that.” She sighed.

“At least you’re in one piece.” He quipped while uncorking a decanter. He couldn’t help but notice the flames dancing in that, too.

“Barely.”

Auddie watched him from the chair, her stare burning into his back. Of course, she would have questions, it only made sense. A bitter chuckle rumbled in his chest at the thought of Arthur storming over to their table and inexplicably plucking her away from a night out with friends.

“You have every right to ask.” Tommy sat in his chair, placing his drink down and shuffling through the papers on his desk. He peered up at her from under his glasses and could see her face wracked with worry. “About the pub, about Arthur scooping you up and bringing you here.”

“It's not about that.” She replied quickly.

“Then what is it about?”

Auddie cleared her throat. “It’s about you, and consequently, me.” 

Ah, it was going to be _that_ conversation. Tommy nodded, twisting out the remaining stub of the cigarette into an ashtray. “Go ahead.”

“Tonight I learned, at my own expense, that I barely know a thing about you.” She lifted her chin.

He chose to remain silent and kept his hands busy by stacking random papers into a haphazard pile. The grandfather clock continued to tick.

“Let's take this evening for example,” She continued, smoothing her hair over one shoulder. “The mood in the room completely shifted when I mentioned that I worked for you, and for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why. In fact, I still don’t understand.” Auddie paused, glancing toward the crackling fireplace. “Another example. The looks of absolute terror on everyone’s faces when Arthur came to the table to take me away,” Her eyes snapped back to him. “Through no fault of his own, he was an absolute gentleman. Why would the others get so spooked by him?”

Tommy scoffed and rolled his eyes. _Arthur, the absolute gentleman._ He nodded his head for her to continue.

“I’ve happily gone along with this secret- _our_ secret.” Auddie wildly gestured her hands in the air. “Families can be complicated, I understand, but at what point am I being played for a fool?” She paused again, in a thoughtful way that made his lips twitch into a half-smirk. “I’ve answered every single question that you’ve ever asked of me, but I can barely wriggle so much as a single answer regarding your _birthday_ out of you.”

“What are you trying to say?” He asked, sipping his drink.

Her shoulders sagged. “Everyone seems to know who Thomas Shelby is, except for me.”

The scale appeared in his mind, and it dangerously began teetering between guilt and selfishness. He couldn’t tell which side it was going to lean toward.

Tommy gently folded his glasses and placed them on the desk. He scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing. “The things you’re asking about aren’t simple.”

“I’ve come to learn that things are rarely simple with you.”

“Don’t lose that sense of humor.” He blew air out of his nose, shaking his head. He leaned into the leather chair, folding his hands in his lap. “Tell me, what do you think you know about me?”

Auddie sighed, brushing a few loose curls from her face. “For the past few weeks, and tonight especially, I’ve learned that people talk about you. Whether it’s my brother or the strangers I’ve just gone bar-hopping with, the mention of your name has a certain… connotation.”

_Tactfully put._

She paused, carefully waiting for his reaction, instead, he remained stone-faced.

“Which leads me to believe that your business is not what it seems, either. It makes me wonder what my brother is doing with you- but that’s not the point.” Auddie shook her head. “Christ, I’ve been told to _“watch my eyes”_ more times than I can count. Vaguely threatening, I’d think.”

Tommy scoffed, rolling his _own_ eyes. _Watch your eyes_ , he was barely doing that nowadays. “Anything else?”

 _Which leads me to believe that your business is not what it seems, either._ Oh, that was rich, coming from her, a Fraser. If only she knew what her _own_ family business was turning into. The familiar feeling of resentment began prickling at his skin, starting with his fingertips. He reeled himself back, inhaling sharply. That was the thing. She _didn’t_ know what her family business was turning into.

“I know you’re from a place called Small Heath, and you ride horses when the weather's good,” She broke him from his thoughts. “And that you bring guns to charity dinners.”

The gun. She had known all this time and hadn’t said a damned thing. Looks like they both had their secrets.

“Sounds like you know quite a bit already.” He gave her a tight-lipped reply. Quiet, coiled tension swirled in his skull.

“Not enough to continue to let you use me as your secret weekend romp without a greater explanation of your character.”

Tommy cut her off. Maybe he’d be drinking too much, too fast- his glass was nearly empty. Her words made something crimson and resentful boil up in him. 

“No one is forcing you to stay.” He motioned toward the door with a flick of his wrist, the words turning to bile in his throat. “You know what you agreed to.”

That, at least, seemed to stop Auddie short.

“Well, that’s a cowardly thing to say.” She blinked, holding her gaze steady with his. “Frankly, I’d be very sorry to do that, unless you truly wanted me to go.”

 _Cowardly_ , what a word that was. Tommy Shelby the coward. It had a certain ring to it. 

The ever-lingering sense of guilt he felt began to cool the hot welts of anger that pulsated in his temples. He had told himself enough times that their mutual secrecy was for her sake- that he was protecting her. That he was protecting her from the potential fallout with her brother that would come from the truth, _his_ truth. That he was protecting her from the vengeful eye of his family that would _also_ come from his truth. That he was protecting her from the business that gave him everything he could have ever wanted but just took as much.

The business that took a wife and a brother from him.

How did the saying go? _The truth will set you free,_ of course, unless you’re a Shelby.

“I told you I’d hold you to that interrogation,” Auddie’s voice cracked through the silence and she motioned her hands to the space between them. “Here it is.”

Tommy chuckled, albeit bitterly. “I suppose I owe you that much.”

“If I’m going to tell you the truth,” He glanced over his shoulder at her while he poured another drink. Scotch, this time. “And I mean the _whole_ fucking truth, there will be things you don’t want to hear.”

*******

To put it plainly, this was not how Tommy had planned for the rest of his night to go. Perhaps he had a sixth sense, just like Polly. Maybe it was his own sixth sense that subconsciously urged him to stay in Birmingham for the remainder of the evening to wait for her, just to swoop in and stop the Garrison incident from becoming any more of a disaster.

Initially, he had imagined that Auddie would come by his office after gallivanting through the city with her friends, and if he was lucky, would get entangled in a different conversation with her. A conversation that had to do a little more with flesh on flesh, and a lot less about his own childhood trauma.

He should’ve known better, it was only a matter of time before she would catch on. He could only keep this facade up for so long. 

There was a part of him, deep down, where he didn’t want to talk about it. He wanted them to stay where they were. Where he was just Tommy, a businessman making his way through a mundane life.

Was he protecting her, or was he protecting himself?

The story began with a poor boy growing up in a poor house, toiling away in a factory, too many siblings with too many mouths to feed, wild relatives living in riverside camps, and the ever-burning desire for more. He assumed there wasn’t much in common between them there. Auddie probably grew up in a grand house and wanted for nothing. Lovely clothes, full bellies, soft hands without a single welt or burn from hard labor. 

But, like her, he had two dead parents, too, so that was a start.

Auddie listened dutifully, resting her chin on her hands and elbows on her knees. She nodded along to everything he said, eyebrows knitted together in concentration. He couldn’t remember the last time something had been so interested in listening to him recount his own misery.

The middle bits were after the war, still poor, still living in a poor house, too many siblings, too many mouths to feed. His parents were out of the picture by then, a mother dead and a father gone by his own volition- but he had a dedicated aunt, and that counted for something.

After being trapped underground for years, constantly tip-toeing the line with _“kill or be killed,”_ Tommy realized he didn’t have much to lose. In fact, he had nothing to lose. He had nothing to begin with. So, it started with petty crimes. A theft, here and there. Shipments of illegal goods, a fixed horse race or two, or several, actually. It was always horses. His larger stints of organized crime grew from there and explained that’s where the _“watch your eyes”_ comments came from. He tactfully skipped over the fact that it was he and his brothers who were slicing eyes with their razor blade caps.

Her eyes never left him for a second.

There were brief moments where he felt like he was outside of himself like he was telling the story of another person. He felt so detached from that former life. Small Heath was nothing like Arrow House.

The story ended with the Shelby Company Ltd, an elaborate scheme under the guise of legitimacy for the family name. Through betting shops, factories, exports, clubs, bootlegged liquor, and a shiny new seat in Parliament, the boy from a poor family makes a good life.

The imports and exports, that was where her brother came in. The Fraser-built bridge between the Shelby’s and America. 

That was as much as he could tell her, for now, at least. He couldn’t tell her everything, it would lead to too many more questions that he wouldn’t have the patience to answer. He could practically see the words tumbling from her mouth every time he finished a sentence.

He glossed over Grace. He spoke as if she didn’t even exist. For all things concerning Auddie, it was better than she didn’t exist. He didn’t need to mention his dead wife. A victim of the business. No, not here. Not now.

He didn’t even mention Lizzie, for that matter.

“Everything I’ve told you,” He placed a cigarette in between his lips, scotch still burning on his tongue. “Is not to be repeated. Do you understand?”

Auddie nodded.

“Is my brother dealing with illegal goods?”

The lighter flickered to life, illuminating the sharp lines of his face for a brief moment. “You can ask him yourself.”

She simply nodded. It wasn’t his place to air out her brother’s secrets. Hell, he had enough of his own skeletons in his closet.

“Does your family dislike Malcolm?”

Tommy tossed the lighter onto the desk, the metal clattering against the wood. “What I said about my family before was true,” He leaned back in the leather chair and pulled the cigarette from his lips. “They’re wary of outsiders. Malcolm and I work together, but there’s always going to be a conflict of interest in our respective businesses.”

The conflict of interest he had in mind involved a great deal of missing cargo and a whole lot of fucking money.

“I see,” Auddie replied, her voice trailing. 

The fire slowly began to dwindle. It hadn’t been stoked in a while, causing the light in the room to grow dim. The grandfather clock continued to tick.

“May I ask you something bluntly?”

“Go ahead.”

“Have you killed people?”

Tommy wordlessly nodded his head, smoke curling from his lips.

Auddie swallowed, her eyes wide for a brief moment before an eerie calm washed over her face.

In some ways, this was what he was afraid of, telling her the truth of it all. It had nothing to do with her brother or her family. He didn’t care that her last name was fucking Fraser. It was the same selfish reason as always: that he wasn’t _just_ Tommy anymore. 

The last shred of hope he had at ever being _just_ Tommy again, was with Auddie. In their own secret world, riding horses and picking fucking fiddleheads. It was pathetic. Here he was, chasing an old aspect of his life that he had worked so hard to escape from. The flames in the fireplace began to dissipate, and the remnants of the logs crackled into ash.

“Thank you for sharing all of that with me,” Auddie straightened her posture in the chair. “I can’t imagine it was easy.”

“We can keep this strictly professional.” He replied, pulling the cigarette from his lips. “Finish out your contract at Honorhall, and then you’ll never have to see another Shelby ever again in your life.”

She paused, thoughtful as always. “I need time to think.”

Fuck, when did it get so serious?

He simply nodded.

“I’ll drive you to your car then.” He stood from the desk, reaching for his glasses.

Auddie shook her head, smoothing out the creases on her dress as she stood. “I can walk, it’s not far from here.”

“It’s late.” Tommy’s eyes darted to the clock, it was a little past two in the morning. “It’s not safe. You can sit in the back and pretend I’m a cab driver.”

“Fine.” Auddie sighed, glancing at him from under her eyelashes. “But don’t expect a tip.”

*******

There had been a time when running came naturally to Tommy. When it was all he had. As a boy, and as a young man. Before the war, and now, after. When he would fling himself into oblivion and never look back. Pure recklessness, unwillingness to all aspects of patience.

He felt softer like he was less _and_ more of himself than he had ever been as of late.

Sitting on the passenger’s seat of his car was Auddie’s paycheck from the week prior. He meant to give it to her on Friday. That was his reason for driving to Honorhall that day, to drop off her paycheck. Purely business.

If he really was there to drop off her money, he could’ve left it with one of the sisters, they would’ve been honest. Instead, he parked right outside of the stone building and waited. The sun was just beginning to set. 

The sun was just beginning to set. It was a Tuesday evening, and the weather was warm. Horse riding weather, he supposed. He had checked her schedule ahead of time, _keeping tabs on her,_ as Arthur called it. Glancing at his pocket watch, he reckoned she would be out in twenty minutes.

Crinkling the envelope in his hands, Tommy stepped out of the car and onto the cobblestone street. He really had meant to give it to her on Friday. He’d give her the check, and see what happened from there.

If it was meant to be, it would be. He grimaced, he really was turning into Polly. _I wonder when I’ll start seeing spirits too._

Then, he saw her. 

Auddie stepped out of the building, fumbling with the cap she had pinned onto her head. Her red hair was loosely braided, a few strands falling across her face when she successfully removed the cap and haphazardly shoved it into the largest pocket of her apron.

She stopped on the sidewalk, eyebrows furrowed together while she searched for something within her bag, the fucking satchel. Her face eased when she managed to pluck her keys from within. Smiling, she looked up, glancing at each car that lined the street.

Then, she saw him.

“Tommy.” Just _Tommy_. She said his name, clean and hard. 

“Auddie.” He nodded at her. When was the last time he had said her name?

She made the first move, walking toward him.

“What are you doing here?”

He pulled the envelope from his jacket and held it in front of her. “Your pay, I meant to give it to you on Friday.”

Auddie opened and closed her mouth, her shoulders sagging ever so slightly. She shook her head and smiled. “Thank you. I’ll come to pick it up next time. No need for you to make special deliveries on my behalf.”

“It’s no trouble.”

They stood in silence. It felt normal to him, in a way. Just two people on the sidewalk in the city.

“Well, I should probably head home now.” She cleared her throat, still smiling, as she tucked the envelope into her bag. “Thank you, again.”

He gave her a curt nod, watching her eyes dart from his shoes to his eyes. She turned away from him, taking quick steps toward Malcolm’s car that was parked farther down the street. He had two options, he supposed. 

The first, and most rational one, was to let her walk away, and remember their time together for what it was at its core: simple, sweet, easy. He would live in regret, more than likely. Always wondering what could have been.

Or the second, and most reckless, was to follow her and chase their time together for what it was. When was the last time he had something simple and easy in his life? Perhaps he still had a touch of that unwillingness toward patience.

Tommy found himself entangled in her, on that sidewalk. In front of a convent, of all places. He held her hand, and put the hair behind her ear, and kissed her. Tears welled up in her eyes. Auddie just wanted to understand his pain, know him for who he truly was, but he just wanted to be with her. To see her. Make sure she had been real all along. He told her that it would be all right, that he would be all right. And then they parted, to tend to the rest of their days, promising he would see her again.

Her parting words haunted his mind, _“I’ll keep your secrets.”_

In some ways, it felt like the end of something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to give this chapter a little bit of everything LOL
> 
> I was a little unsure about this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless :) Thank you for reading! Your comments mean the world to me, thank you so much ❤️


	25. A Recommendation

**AUDDIE** memorized the way Tommy’s face looked when he promised he would see her again. Glasses gleaming in the early evening sun, the way his eyes softened, the collar of his shirt partially unbuttoned, no doubt on purpose, for a small relief from the midsummer heat.

How stupid she had become.

While she tugged the car door open she turned to look at him, for one last time before driving home. He was parked so far away, and she saw that he was looking at her too. The distance between them on that street felt symbolic, almost.

Auddie looked away for a moment, blushing, before glancing toward him once more, and saw that he was gone. In his stead was Liza, on the stoop of Honorhall. She quickly snapped her gaze back to the car door.

She wondered how long Liza had been standing there, and if she had seen the little show Tommy and herself had put on for the back streets of the city to see. 

Things had been tense between them since that Friday. A lot had changed in four days. Auddie had accepted the fact that since she arrived in Britain, her life had become increasingly fast-paced.

When she looked back, Liza was gone too, and Auddie was alone.

*******

**_THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY AT THE GARRISON, SMALL HEATH_ **

Auddie stumbled into the Garrison with Liza and company. She was drunk, certainly, but sober enough to realize a bad idea when it looked her square in the eyes.

“We can leave whenever you want,” Liza whispered into her ear. 

“It’s fine, really.” Auddie winced, squeezing her elbow. “I’m having fun.” 

“Well, at least that makes one of us.”

Auddie stopped short and turned to her. “What’s the harm?”

Liza shook her head. “It’s nothing. The Shelby’s own this place, and they’re a big name here.” She motioned to the sign above them. “I just don’t want those fools to make trouble, is all.”

It was busy enough for a Friday night, but the crowd at the Garrison was much smaller than the drunken mob that swarmed the Huntsman. Most people kept to themselves, either sitting at a booth in small groups or loitered by the bar, chatting amongst one another. The pub was gilded with golden accents, in furniture and decoration. The bar was the centerpiece, created from ornately carved wood that curved in front of a mirror back wall, covered with racks of booze. Despite all of this, the luxury, the booming music, the people, the air felt solemn.

The boys were being loud- _too_ loud. It was quite obvious that they didn't fit in.

“Oi!” Joseph slapped his open palm against the table. “We need drinks over here!”

Auddie placed her face in her hands, wishing that she could hide under the table and disappear. She peeked through her fingers to see everyone laughing, except for Liza, who looked like she was going to be sick. At least she wasn’t alone in her misery.

A few people at the bar turned to look at him, rolling their eyes and leaning in close to one another to make fun of their group, no doubt. 

“If it's gonna be that way,” Joseph huffed, pushing himself up from the booth. “I’ll have to take matters into my own hands, yeah?” Sam clapped him on the back and grinned.

“Don’t make a bigger fool out of yourself.” Liza rolled her eyes, fishing through her purse for a cigarette. “You get like this when you drink whiskey.”

Joseph waved a hand at her and stalked toward the bar. Auddie couldn’t make out what he was saying, all of his words slurred together while he shouted at the bartender. The man behind the bar looked painfully bored, slowly blinking at Joseph’s tirade while he wiped a glass with a stained cloth.

There was a sentence, however, that she could make sense of.

“You see her over there, the redhead,” Joseph pointed directly at her. “She works for the Shelby’s,” He paused with a toothy grin. “And not just any Shelby, she works for _the_ Shelby. You know who I’m talking about.”

All eyes turned toward her, she swore even the music got quieter. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” The bartender retorted, furrowing his eyebrows together.

Auddie inwardly agreed with him. _What was that supposed to mean? Tommy?_

“It’s supposed to mean, free drinks for us.”

The bartender rolled his eyes. “Do you know how many drunken idiots come in here spewing that same spiel night after night?”

Joseph squared his shoulders.

“I’ll gladly take your order, and you can pay,” The bartender motioned to the patrons at the bar. “Like the rest of ‘em.”

“I’ll put it plainly,” Joseph continued, leaning against the bartop, “She works for _Thomas_ Shelby. Do you really want to take that risk? To treat one of his, uh, _employees_ like the common rabble?”

The bartender’s eyes flicked toward her, Auddie just smiled sheepishly in return.

“What? Do you want proof?” Joseph countered.

“Everyone knows a Shelby, even the _common rabble_ ,” The bartender replied, causing everyone at the bar to laugh in unison. “Now what will it be, rum or whiskey? Or perhaps, for you, a glass of water.”

“Good fucking grief.” Liza grimaced, taking a sharp inhale from her cigarette before flicking ash onto the table. Eva simply giggled.

Before Joseph could reply, Sam joined in. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Her last name is Fraser, the same Fraser that’s plastered up on all those Shelby factories!”

Joseph grinned, glancing back at Sam and fiercely nodding his head. “Yeah, yeah, what he said.”

The bartender was silent, now vigorously wiping down the glass in his hands. He took a deep breath and turned to Joseph.

“I _know_ Mr. Fraser. He comes in here from time to time, and he’s American,” The bartender jerked his chin toward Auddie. “Is _she_ American?”

Joseph waved a hand at Auddie. “Say something.”

_At least all of the people here are getting a show._

All eyes were on her, she glanced all around the pub, wondering if she could sooner fling herself out of a window rather than participate in this charade. 

Auddie cleared her throat, swallowing hard. “Yes, uh, Malcolm- _Mr_. Fraser is my brother.”

“Now, do you really want to take that chance?” Joseph raised an eyebrow, clearly pleased with himself. “I’m sure it would make Mr. Shelby mad, really mad.” He tilted his head toward Auddie, dumbfounded. “And, yeah, see, Fraser is her brother. He’ll be mad too.”

The bartender opened his mouth to speak, and closed it just as quickly, clearly weighing the options in his mind. “Fine.” He slammed the glass down. “But only for tonight.”

“Was that so hard?” Joseph gave him a crooked grin, turning on his heel and sauntering back to their booth.

“So much trouble for a stupid drink,” Auddie muttered under her breath, massaging her temples with her fingertips. Liza shook her head, smoke curling from her lips.

Joseph slid into the booth beside Auddie and threw his arm around her shoulders. “Good on ya, Auddie.” He gave her a squeeze. “Now everyone will know who we are.”

Auddie forced a smile as she tried removing herself from his grip. _Now everyone will know who we are._ A feeling of dread formed in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t the best thing to hear when she was tasked with keeping the very nature of her existence a secret. She was torn from her thoughts when the bartender came over with a tray of drinks, placing it on the table with a scoff as he looked at Joseph.

As the night progressed the crowds in the pub seemed to grow, and Auddie hoped that perhaps Joseph’s own drunkenness would meld it with the rest. Unfortunately, he didn’t. Their table stayed rowdy as ever, slamming their fists down whenever they requested another drink. The bartender dutifully attended to them- which made her wonder what sort of power Tommy, or her brother for that matter, had over this place.

The drunken shouts grew louder when two men dressed in sharp suits and matching caps came in, the patrons at the bar all scrambling to greet whoever they were. Auddie only caught a glimpse of them from the corner of her eye, desperately trying to hide her own face. She fell into another daze while she sipped her drink, still searching for the nearest window to escape out of.

Anxiety gnawed at her. Concern for her brother’s reputation, and Tommy’s. The night was an utter disaster. The bartender looked like he was ready to strangle the lot of them, and the snide stares from the other patrons didn’t seem to cease either. 

Auddie used her hair as a curtain, desperately trying to shield her face from any further embarrassment. She wasn’t sure how much time had gone by, instead, she tried to focus the lull of the conversation at the table and the music that lulled in the background.

The sound of someone clearing their throat cut the conversation at the table short. Auddie peeked out from underneath her hair and had to stifle a gasp.

“Good, uh, evening,” He cleared his throat. “I’m here for her,” He jerked his chin toward Auddie. “Miss Fraser, that is.”

Arthur, Tommy’s brother who she had met briefly once before, stood beside their booth, fidgeting with his cap in his hands. Auddie sat up, tucking a few curls behind her ear as she glanced nervously from the table to Arthur. Everyone, save for Joseph in his drunken stupor, looked as if they had seen a ghost.

“What gives?” Joseph barked, his words slurring together. “She can’t go yet, we were having fun!”

“Joseph,” Liza hissed through gritted teeth, “Shut up.”

“Would you look at that,” Sam muttered, sipping his drink slowly. “She is really with ‘em.”

Eva leaned in close to Liza and whispered, _“Is that Arthur Shelby?”_ To which Liza slowly nodded.

Joseph, with all of his grand Shelby knowledge, didn’t seem to register who was standing at their table.

Arthur looked at Auddie quickly. “Miss Fraser, I need you to come with me.”

“No, no, no,” Joseph hiccupped, leaning in front of Auddie so she couldn’t exit the booth. “We’re having fun, and she’s getting us free drinks, yeah? She works for a, uh, Shelby, and I’m not done here yet!”

“Joe,” Sam tensed from across the booth, his eyes flicked nervously between Arthur and his inebriated friend. “Just let her go, we can still have our fun.”

“No way!” Joseph snapped back, “This is the most fun we’ve had in ages. I’m not going to let this shit ruin it for us.”

Auddie could see Arthur clenching the cap in his fists. At this point, she didn’t care where he was planning to take her, it could’ve been straight to the gates of hell and she wouldn't have minded. She just wanted to get out of there.

“What’s your problem?” Joseph unsteadily pushed himself up from the table. “She works for the Shelby’s,” he hiccupped in between words, “Do you wanna mess with the Shelby’s?” He pointed an unsteady finger at Arthur. “Do you have a problem with _me?_ ”

“He _is_ a Shelby, you idiot!” Liza shouted, snapping her fingers at him. "Sit down, and let her go."

While Sam reached across the table and attempted to force Joseph to sit back down, Auddie managed to wriggle out of the booth and stand beside Arthur.

“Come on.” Arthur nodded his head toward the door. Auddie followed behind him, resisting the urge to look back at the table. A million little thoughts buzzed in her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about how nonsensical and belligerent Joseph had gotten, this whole evening was a terrible idea. She should've known better, especially with how he was acting at the other pub. The sound of Liza gasping tore her from her thoughts.

Joseph stormed from the table toward Arthur and attempted to shove him to the ground.

Auddie could only blink as it all unfolded in front of her.

Swiftly as ever, Arthur turned and grabbed Joseph by the collar, “I’m tryna be nice, yeah,” he yanked him closer, “You look like you had fun tonight.” He jerked his chin toward the empty glasses that were scattered across the table. “I’ll let you keep the rest of your drinks _and_ your guts, if you keep your mouth shut, and let me go along with Miss Fraser, _peacefully._ ”

He threw Joseph back into the booth, who scrambled to sit upright, and spilled a few drinks in the process.

Arthur pointed at all of them. “This is Shelby business,” he took a few steps back, placing his cap on his head. “If I hear a lick of gossip about this, about any of this, whether it’s the name Fraser or Shelby,” he paused, “I’ll find you.”

Auddie felt frozen in time.

“With me, Miss,” Arthur called from over his shoulder as he stalked toward the door.

Auddie glanced at the group one more time, the mood of the night had shifted greatly. The other patrons at the bar didn’t even seem to flinch at what had just gone on. No one dared to look Arthur in the eye.

Liza and Eva looked equally terrified, sliding out of the booth themselves and packing up their purses to go. Sam helped Joseph stand, still too drunk to even process what had happened. His nose was bleeding, and beer had spilled all over his clothes. Auddie caught Liza's gaze, it was something between regret, sorrow, and a touch of fear. Liza looked away first, grabbing Eva's arm to tug her away from the mess. So much for a night out with friends.

The night ended with her in the passenger’s seat of Arthur’s car. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

“I’m sorry you had to see me get, well, physical, back there,” Arthur cleared his throat, “This, uh, situation with you and Tommy is sensitive. I’m sure you know that.” He peered at her from the corner of his eye while he started the car. “We don’t want those idiots making a mess of it.”

Auddie nodded.

“Were those guys giving you a hard time?” He continued, his eyes focused on the road. “I’m sure Tom wouldn’t like me saying this,” Arthur paused, glancing at her for a long moment. “But if they were giving you a hard time, you could just tell Tom, and he would take care of it for you.”

“No, no, they weren’t giving me a hard time.” She shook her head with a small smile. “But I appreciate the offer, I’ll keep it in mind for the future.”

*******

There was a knock at her door.

Auddie woke with a start. It was early, and the fire in her room had gone to embers. The sun barely filtered through the windows, she had drawn the curtains tightly together the night before. She squinted, sitting up on her forearms. Her temples ached, she had stayed up far too late, scribbling nonsense in her journal. 

The nonsense she wrote about revolved around Tommy, much to her own embarrassment. She had filled so many pages with just her inner musing about him as of late. Embarrassing. 

She felt uneasy in the days following her lengthy conversation with him. She had learned more than she had hoped, and less than she had expected. How odd. She hoped that writing about it in her journal would clear her mind, or at the very least, organize her thoughts. But instead of peace, she was left with a nasty sleep-deprived headache.

“Come in.” Auddie smoothed out the sheets on her lap.

Mary poked her head into the room. “I apologize for waking you so early, Miss.”

Auddie smiled. “It’s no trouble, I needed to get up anyway.”

“Your brother is on the phone downstairs, I’ve already left your coffee on the desk in his office. He says it’s urgent.”

Ah, now _she_ was the one getting the urgent calls.

“I’ll be right there,” She nodded. “Thank you, Mary.”

Malcolm’s office overwhelmingly smelled like coffee, much to Auddie’s joy. She padded barefoot across the cool hardwood floor and slid into the leather chair behind his desk. Mary, ever-lovely, had prepared her coffee and toast on a tidy silver platter. Taking a bite of toast and a sip of coffee, she reached for the phone.

“Malcolm?”

“Auddie!” The sound of her brother’s voice caused her heart to sink.

_“Is my brother dealing with illegal goods?”_

_“You can ask him yourself.”_

“I have the best news.” She could practically see the grin on his face- there was no way she could ask him about his business with Tommy. Not now.

Auddie took another sip of her coffee and tucked her knees underneath her. She still felt a little uneasy after learning about Tommy’s business, and consequently, her brother’s. Shaking her head, she tried tucking the feeling away. There was no point in thinking about it at that exact moment. “Are you finally signing away all of your earthly possessions to me?”

“Close,” Malcolm scoffed. “I’ll give you one more guess.”

“Alright,” She paused. “Are you signing away the entire company to me?”

Malcolm laughed loudly. “Close, again.”

His laugh made Auddie grin too. “I give up, you’ll have to tell me.”

“I hope you’re sitting down for this,” He drawled. “I’m coming home!”

“Pity, I enjoyed having the house to myself. And the car.”

“Too bad, the king has to come home to his castle.” He sighed audibly. “We’ll work on getting you your own car.”

Auddie smiled, _her own car._

“When are you sailing back?”

“The ship departs in exactly a week from now. I should be home by mid-August.” He replied. “Can you believe it? The summer is almost over, autumn is just around the corner.”

Auddie blinked. “No, I can’t.”

***

Honorhall was keeping her busier and busier it seemed, not that she was complaining. Auddie’s time spent shadowing Liza seemed to grow shorter, and she couldn’t tell if it was because she was starting to grow on her own there, or if it was from that Friday evening.

It was far past time for Auddie to leave, but one of the sisters had asked for her help tidying up the dining hall after supper. She had nothing better to do, other than mope around Malcolm’s townhouse, so she stuck around, sweeping crumbs from under tables and chairs.

Simple tasks allowed for her mind to wander. She had a lot to look forward to, she was going to see Belmont Jr the next day. The thought made her smile.

Tommy had called her the night before and told her to come by that weekend. He had _family_ business that Saturday morning but assured her that his schedule that afternoon was free.

“Auddie,” A voice echoed against the stone walls. “There’s someone here to see you. They’ve asked for you- specifically.”

Auddie paused mid-sweep, raising an eyebrow. “Who is it?”

“I didn’t catch her name, but she’s requested for you to see her baby. Says she has a cough.”

“Oh.” Auddie rested the broom against the wall and patted excess dust from her apron. “I’ll be right there.”

The sister nodded her head and glided out of the room. Adjusting her cap, Auddie made quick steps out of the dining hall and toward the foyer of the building. 

She really didn’t have the slightest clue who this person could be, requesting her out of the blue like this. It had to have been one of Liza’s patients, someone they had visited together in the recent weeks. There had been so many babies in Birmingham, she was losing track. Of course, she didn’t mind. In fact, she was excited to have someone _specifically_ request to see her, it meant she was making this place her own.

“Here she is,” The same sister commented as soon as Auddie stepped into the foyer. A woman stood beside the nun. She was tall and slim, dressed smartly with wavy dark hair cropped short around her face. In her arms was a baby, bundled in pink and cooing.

“I’m so sorry for the delay,” Auddie smiled, clasping her hands together. “Please come with me.” She nodded her head toward the door.

The sound of the woman’s heels clicking against the stone floors echoed in the tight corridor. 

“I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name,” Auddie glanced over her shoulder, smiling at the woman, and then at the baby. “Have I visited you before?” She stopped short at the clinical room and pushed the door open with a chuckle. “Forgive me if I’ve forgotten. I’m still getting used to this place.”

The woman shook her head, stepping ahead of her and into the room. Rows of cots separated by curtains filled the room. Auddie motioned for her to take a seat at the nearest one, tugging the curtain around them shut for a bit of privacy, even though they were the only people in the room.

“I’m Lizzie,” She cradled the baby in one arm and extended her free hand out to her. “Lizzie Stark. The little one’s father has seen you before, he’s spoken very highly of you.

“Well, I’m happy to hear that.” Auddie grinned, her heart swelling. Perhaps she really was making this place her own. She closed the door behind them and shook her hand. “I’m Auddie Fraser, it’s wonderful to meet you. What’s your daughter’s name?”

“Ruby.”

“Ruby.” Auddie knelt down to be eye-level with the baby in her arms. “She’s very sweet.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Now, let’s work on that cough.”

After examining the baby, Auddie found that the baby didn’t seem to have any cough at all. In fact, Ruby didn’t even have a runny nose or even a fever for that matter. She continued asking Lizzie questions, inquiring about how long the cough had been around, and if the baby was sleeping all right. The baby, little Ruby, seemed to be perfectly fine.

“I think you came just in time, Miss Stark.” Auddie quipped, bouncing Ruby in her arms. “There isn’t a trace of any cough, it seems to be gone.”

Lizzie silently nodded her head.

“Where are you from? In America, that is.”

“Boston,” Auddie grinned as she handed Ruby back to her mother. “What gave it away?”

A ghost of a smirk appeared on her lips. “How long have you been here?”

Auddie tilted her head from side to side. “Oh, a little over a month now. Almost two, actually.”

“Ah,” Lizzie replied, brushing a strand of dark hair from Ruby’s forehead.

Silence flitted into the tiny space they were in, surrounded by mustard-colored curtains. Auddie scrambled to reply, keeping the smile on her lips when she noticed how Lizzie looked at her with curious intensity.

“It could’ve been anything,” Auddie continued, clearing her throat. “The cough, I mean. I don’t think it was serious. Open a window in her bedroom tonight, and give her some honey. It’ll be gone in a snap.” She tidied up the area while she spoke. “But if the cough returns, please don’t hesitate to come and see me. I’m here every day throughout the week, and I can do house calls.”

Auddie scribbled down her information and a list of remedies for the cough. Lizzie took the note from her carefully, eyes scanning each line.

“Thank you, Miss Fraser.” Lizzie stood from the cot, cradling Ruby against her hip.

“Please, call me Auddie.” 

“Auddie.” She repeated, her voice dragging out the syllables. “Auddie.”

She walked the two of them back to the foyer, emphasizing that if she needed anything, or if the cough came back, she was but a call away.

It was soon after Lizzie left that Auddie realized she had never asked who Ruby’s father was, the man who recommended to come and see her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe 😈  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter 😄 Let me know what you think!! Thank you for reading, and for all of your wonderful comments 😊❤️


	26. A Shelby Affair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw elements toward the end! There is a little bit of everything in this one, heh. Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> (EDIT: Made some changes to a few bits of dialogue because I didn't like how this chapter had come out 😪)

**TOMMY** sat at his desk with a cigarette perched between two fingers, the smoke curling up lazily in the waning morning light. He was going through a stack of mail that had piled up throughout the week. Slowly and methodically, he cut the seal of each envelope with a tiny knife, one by one. The feeling was familiar, the slicing.

Normally, he had one of his secretaries sort and reply to his mail, but today, he needed to keep his hands busy. 

Most of the letters he received were utter nonsense. Business inquiries, various invitations, a whole lot of bullshit from one MP or another. He read through each one and tossed them into haphazard piles based on their importance. Or rather, which he thought warranted a reply from him.

There was a certain letter, however, that caught his eye. It was from the chairman of veteran’s affairs, William Finch. Finch sent him a thank you note for coming to his charity dinner, another thank you for the fruit basket sent by the Shelby Company, and a subsequent apology for Tommy’s… illness that evening. Finch had even mentioned Auddie, thanking him for bringing her along as a guest. Tommy sighed, tossing it aside. Perhaps that letter would warrant a personal response.

Then, there was a tiny knock at his door.

“Come in.”

It was Frances, as always, who poked her head into the room. He perched the cigarette between his lips and nodded. “What is it, Frances?”

She clasped her hands tightly together in front of her. “It’s your family, Mr. Shelby. They’ve all just arrived, they’re in the foyer now.”

“Hm.” Tommy glanced at his watch on the table, “All on time.” He flicked his eyes toward the maid and waved a hand at her. “Send them to the dining room, tell them I’ll be right there.”

Frances quickly nodded and stepped out of the room. When she shut the door, Tommy exhaled a cloud of smoke and sighed. Usually, whenever his family was on time for something, it was a bad omen.

He stubbed out the cigarette and made his way toward the liquor cabinet, a tried and true friend, to pour himself a quick glass of whiskey. Before he could even take the first sip, Polly barged in.

Tommy stared at her, blank-faced with his drink in hand.

“Aren’t you going to come and greet your guests before sending them away?” She nodded her head at the drink in his hand. “And aren’t you going to offer me any of that?”

“There’s plenty of drink in the dining room with everybody else.” He held her gaze while tossing back the liquor.

Polly narrowed her eyes at him and took clipped, precise steps across his office toward the window.

“Who’s joining us today?” She asked, her back facing him.

“The committee,” Tommy replied, pouring another drink. “The fucking regulars. What do you mean _who’s joining us today?_ ”

“Curiosity, I suppose,” She shrugged, trailing her fingertips across the edge of his desk. “Just wanted to see if anyone else was coming by.” She purposefully paused, glancing at him for a moment with a devilish gleam in her eyes. “You know, I was thinking, I’ve always quite liked red hair.” 

Tommy rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Typical Polly, sinking her claws into the fleshy underbelly of anyone’s weakness and then twisting.

“Save it,” He scoffed. “I’ll fix you a drink and then we can go meet with the others.” He set aside a glass for her. “What will it be?”

“Whatever you’re having.” She waved a hand at him, bracelets jingling.

Tommy nodded. “It’s not about that today.”

“Not about what?”

He finished pouring her drink and turned toward her, raising his eyebrows when he saw that she was standing behind his desk, holding a letter close to her face. 

“What are you doing?” Tommy snapped, taking quick strides across the room toward her. 

“I’m just reading.” Polly glanced up from the paper in her hands, feigning innocence. “Must’ve been a lovely party for you two.”

He forcefully placed the glass on the desk and snatched the letter from her grip. It was William Finch’s thank you note.

“What were you saying before, Thomas?” She continued, reaching for the drink on the table and taking a sip. She peered up at him from the rim of the glass. “It’s not about what today? Or should I say, who?”

Tommy rolled his eyes, crumpling the letter in his fist and tossing it to the floor.

Polly pointed to him with the drink in her hand. The mock-innocence was gone from her voice now and was instead replaced with clipped, white-hot anger. “No, I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say it’s not about a traitorous Fraser warming your bed.”

“It’s not about her.”

“When will it be about her?” She countered.

“When I damn well please.” He turned from his aunt, clenching his jaw.

Polly finished the rest of her drink in one sharp swig and slammed the glass onto his desk.

“Be quick, the others are waiting.” Tommy made his way to the door, but stopped short and pointed a finger at her. “And stop going through my fucking mail.”

***

He stood at the head of the table, adjusting the position of his glasses while he observed his family settle into their seats around him. They spoke amongst one another, slinging their coats over the backs of their chairs, each conversation creating a lull of meaningless noise in the back of Tommy’s mind. 

Housekeepers flitted in and out of the room, adding the final touches to the placement of food and drink on the table. He knew for a fact that his family wouldn’t like the conversation that they were going to be having today, so he decided that turning it into something of a brunch affair would make it a little less painful. Or so he had hoped.

Arthur sat directly to his right, Polly to his left, with Michael, Finn, Lizzie, and Ada alternating on either side of the table from there. It was a stark contrast to their meetings in Small Heath, all crammed inside of a tiny kitchen with barely enough room to breathe. 

It felt strange, _he_ felt strange, standing there in a freshly pressed suit from London. It was another one of those times where he felt like he wasn’t himself, standing in this grand room, in front of his family in their own grand clothes, when just a few years ago, they were barely scraping by in poverty. Now, here they were, sipping champagne and preparing to discuss the thousands of dollars that were lost. My, how times have changed.

“Thank you all for coming today,” Tommy cleared his throat as the last maid exited the room. “After our meeting, you can all go ahead and eat,” he motioned to the ridiculous amount of food that was perfectly set all across the table. Instead of plates, folders stuffed with packets of varying documents were placed in front of each person. He adjusted his glasses one more time and continued. “But drink whenever you want.”

When everyone wordlessly nodded in unison, he finally sat down and folded his hands on the table. “If there are no objections, let’s begin.”

Immediately, everyone took a hefty swig from their respective drinks.

“As you know, we’ve lost a great deal of money from a theft within our business’s inner circle.” Tommy began while smoothing out a particular page from the packet in front of him. “I received a phone call from Malcolm Fraser last night, and he told me that he’ll be back in London with the thieves by the middle of August.”

The room was silent, save for the sound of ice tinkling against glasses and the distant chirping of birds from outside.

“What are we going to do with them once they’re here?” Ada asked, quickly flipping through her own set of papers.

“Well,” Tommy continued. “That’s what we are going to discuss today.” 

He tilted his head toward his aunt. “On page three, Polly’s provided a precise estimation of monetary loss from the cargo.”

The sound of papers scraping together filled the silence.

“And Michael,” He nodded to his cousin who sat farther down the table. “Drafted a potential payment plan.”

“A payment plan?” Polly scoffed as she sipped her champagne, her lipstick leaving a mark on the rim.

“Yes,” Tommy gave her a tight-lipped reply. “A payment plan.”

“What of the suppliers?” Polly asked, “Do they know yet?”

“We haven’t told them outright that there was a theft,” Tommy grimaced, “We’ve bent the truth just a little. Still sticking with the harbormaster story.”

Polly rolled her eyes.

“We’ll have a plan in order before we tell the suppliers a… half-truth,” Tommy cleared his throat, pulling his glasses down lower on his nose. “We’ve kept this under wraps, our competitors are completely unaware that this has been happening.”

“For now,” Polly muttered under her breath, her eyes never leaving the ledgers in front of her.

“As I was saying,” Tommy shook his head with a sigh. “The best-case scenario is that we interrogate the Fraser men when they get here, and see if they will tell us where the crates have been taken. If they cooperate, we’ll deal out proper punishment and get the crates, along with everything in it, back. No one will ever be the wiser.”

“And what if they don’t cooperate, Tom?” Arthur asked while drumming his fingers on the table.

“Well,” Tommy leaned back in his chair. “Malcolm and I will work on a plan for splitting the debt 50/50. If the Fraser’s don’t initially cooperate with us, eh, we’ll have to get the suppliers involved, and make quick work of the rats.”

“You’ll have to make a spectacle of it. Make it known _who_ is in charge here,” Polly interjected, crossing one leg over the other. “If any of our competitors find out about this- like whatever’s left of the London Italians, or even the boys in Camden town, and that’s _just_ to name a few, they won’t hesitate for a _second_ to pounce at this display of flippant weakness on our part.”

“Hold on, what do you mean by _making quick work of them?_ ” Ada’s eyes darted back and forth between her brother and aunt.

“If the interrogation goes well, we won’t get the suppliers involved.” Tommy reached for his own drink. “If the interrogation goes poorly, we’ll invite the suppliers to Birmingham, and we’ll put on a show.”

“A show?” Ada echoed, incredulous.

“A show.” Tommy brought his whiskey to his lips. “We’ll take them down to Charlie Strong’s yard, and we’ll give them justice.” He took a measured sip and sighed. “If it’s not monetary justice, then it will be physical.”

“You mean to throw the rats in the gutter?” Arthur raised his eyebrows.

“Exactly that.” Tommy tipped his glass to his brother.

“I thought we were trying to clean up the family name?” Ada blinked with her mouth agape. “I wasn’t aware that violence was still in the equation.”

“After we take care of this, we’ll try to clean up the Shelby name again,” Tommy replied monotonously. “Rinse, repeat, try again.”

“It is what it is, Ada.” Polly sighed, finishing off her flute of champagne. “Rinse and repeat. A Shelby motto at this point.”

Ada shook her head, muttering under her breath as she stuffed all of the papers back into her folder. Arthur was solemn, still drumming his fingers on the table. Michael just slowly nodded, his eyes and nose suspiciously red.

His youngest brother, Finn, on the other hand, looked excited, ever-desperate to get his hands dirty for the family name. He wanted to prove himself, get scars, and infamy like his brothers. He never fully realized that his brothers were getting their hands dirty for his sake, to save him before another Shelby was cursed.

“Now, with all of this being said,” Tommy spoke, syllables clipped. “We’ll reconvene again once Malcolm returns. He’ll be able to connect a few more dots for us by then.”

“Sure he will.” Polly sneered.

“Mid-August,” Tommy announced, clearly ignoring his aunt’s jab. His eyes flicked toward her for a moment. “We’ll reconvene in mid-August.”

“You’re putting a whole lot of faith in him.” Polly continued, reaching for her purse and setting it on her lap. She pulled out a lighter and pointed it at him. “It was his employees, _his_ family who stole from us under his watch, and still, you’re putting all of your trust in him.”

“I’m not putting all of my trust in him,” Tommy replied. “He’s still our business partner, and he’s been holding up his end of the deal so far. Fair is fair.”

Polly scoffed and retrieved a cigarette from a gilded case. “I think there’s a conflict of interest on _your_ part, but sure, believe in that Fraser. They’ve been so trustworthy before.”

Tommy couldn’t help but notice how Lizzie smirked against the rim of her glass at Polly’s words. A pit formed in his stomach.

“Enough, Polly.” Tommy snapped. “The meeting is adjourned. We’ll speak about this again in mid-August.” He stood from his seat and walked to the window on the other side of the room. He waved a hand at them, “Feel free to eat.”

The room was filled with the sounds of cutlery scraping against plates, and the humdrum of conversation between one another at the table. Tommy stayed by the window the whole time, only moving to light himself a fresh cigarette or to top off his drink.

The window he stood by overlooked the front of the property, the gravel drive, expensive shrubbery, the neverending green hills beyond the winding dirt road that led to his estate in the first place. He thought of Auddie. She’d be there today, later in the afternoon, driving up that road to him. His family would be gone by then, and it would just be her and him. He felt the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“I have something else to ask,” Polly’s voice cut through his thoughts. She waved her hand high above her head, with a cigarette dangling from her fingers. “It’s related to the earlier conversation.”

Tommy peered at her from the corner of his eye. “Go ahead.”

“The Garrison, last Friday.” She lazily dragged the cigarette to her lips, her eyes flicking toward Arthur. “What went on? I heard a boy got whacked by our dear Arthur for soiling the good Fraser name.”

Arthur shot Tommy a strained look, before clearing his throat. “It wasn’t like that, Pol.”

“Then what was it like?” Polly quirked an eyebrow. “Please, enlighten me.”

Tommy turned on his heel toward the table, narrowing his eyes at his aunt. Michael and Finn glanced at one another, clearly dumbfounded. Ada shook her head slowly and continued to cut her food into smaller and smaller pieces. Lizzie, however, leaned back in her chair, smirking, while slowly smoking her own cigarette.

“No one’s name was getting soiled.” Arthur continued, holding his hands up in defense. “There was a boy who was being a menace. Ask anyone who was there that night. Made a scene because he wanted free drinks for knowing a Shelby,” he paused, carefully looking at Tommy, “and a Fraser, consequently.”

“It was a bar fight that got out of hand,” Tommy interjected.

“Curious,” Polly mused, flicking ash from her cigarette onto the tablecloth. “He knew Malcolm?”

Arthur glanced at his brother. “I suppose it was something like that, yeah.”

“Something like that,” Polly repeated. Her gaze traveled to Tommy. 

He knew exactly what his aunt was getting at- Auddie. He wasn’t sure how far she was going to go with the charade.

“Anyway,” Polly continued her voice sickly sweet with innocence. “I thought I’d ask about it today since we’re all together. I heard the story secondhand from regulars at the betting shop.” She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, her eyes locking with Tommy’s. “Word gets around fast here.”

A thick layer of silence blanketed itself across the room, save for the knives and forks that clattered together.

“Perhaps I’ll ask Malcolm about it when he gets here,” She sighed, twisting her cigarette out onto the tablecloth. “He has siblings, doesn’t he? Maybe they had something to do with it.”

There was silence, again, until Polly cleared her throat and slammed her empty glass onto the table.

“Before I go, I’d like to make it known that I don’t trust Malcolm or any Fraser for that matter.” She announced as she pushed her chair back. “But I’ll see this situation through because my job and _family_ are on the line.” She glanced at everyone who was sitting at the table until her eyes trailed to Tommy. Steadfast, she held his gaze. “I think we should all remember that. Our family.” She grabbed her coat and shrugged it over her shoulders. “We’re all a Shelby in this room, one way or another.”

As soon as she stormed out of the room, Tommy called to her from over his shoulder. “I’ll see you in mid-August, Pol.”

She stopped short in the doorway with her back to him for a brief moment, before continuing to take quick strides into the hallway.

Hell hath no fury like Polly Gray scorned.

“Should I go after her, Tom?” Arthur was standing from his seat now, wiping his hands on a cloth. Tommy gave him a curt nod, and he swiftly exited the dining room.

Without turning from the window, Tommy jerked his head toward the door. “You’re all free to go as well.” The sounds of chairs scraping against the floor and waning footsteps were the only response he needed.

The conversation with his family, the meeting as a whole, went… better than he initially expected. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he scrubbed a hand over his face and finally turned from the window. He expected to be alone, the room was quiet enough- until he saw Lizzie, still sitting at the table. She fidgeted with a cigarette in between two fingers, with one leg crossed over the other.

“Is this how you’re meeting girls these days?” She placed the crumpled  _ ‘thank you’ _ letter from William Finch onto the table. “Woo them with a fancy party, all smiles,” She glanced at him from over her shoulder. “Guess it doesn’t matter who they are, or what their last name is.”

_ The letter- Polly.  _ He should’ve known.

“Lizzie,” Tommy replied, tension feathering in the muscles of his jaw.

He could see her eyes trembling, caused by something halfway between bitterness and disappointment.

“Listen,” He sighed, reaching for the crumpled letter. “You know what kind of man I am.”

She intercepted him before he could even touch it. “I sure do.” She stood from the table with her chin lifted, and proceeded to rip the letter into tiny pieces. “I’ll make sure your daughter does, too.”

He shook his head. A better man would have known what to say.

“Oh,” Lizzie stopped in the doorway and flicked the stub of her cigarette onto the floor, and stamped it out on the carpet. “And by the way, Ruby was sick yesterday.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow at her.

“I brought her to see a nurse,” She stared at Tommy. “Somewhere in Birmingham, a little place called Honorhall House.”

He tossed his glasses onto the table. “Fuck, Lizzie.”

“We saw Nurse Fraser. I told her that Ruby’s father recommended I see her,” Her lips formed a tight line. “I quite liked her. Maybe we’ll see her again,” She turned away, her voice wavering. “Maybe I’ll tell her Ruby’s father’s name next time, too.”

The scale appeared in his mind. Guilt, selfishness, curiosity, infatuation. It was all melding together. He took a random drink from the table and finished it off in one swig. A better man wouldn’t have packed Lizzie off to an expensive place in London with a baby and called it good enough.

Tommy stalked out into the hallway and was taken by surprise when he saw Ada comfortably leaning against the wall with a smirk on her lips.

“Listen, I don’t want to hear it.” He held up a hand as he walked past her.

“Don’t wanna hear what?” She quipped, a slight lilt to her voice as she followed him.

He glanced at her from over his shoulder, “You know what.” He kept walking with long strides, he wasn’t even sure where he was walking to.

“Don’t wanna hear about the girl the family disapproves of?”

“Yeah,” He replied. “Sure.”

“You know,” Her voice rose as the distance between them grew. “I know a thing or two about being with someone this family doesn’t approve of.”

Tommy stopped in his tracks.

“You can talk about her with me, you know,” Ada stood beside him now and placed a hand on his forearm. “And I know quite a few hiding spots in Small Heath.”

He shook his head and scoffed. “How do you know about her?”

“Polly,” Ada replied bluntly.

 _Polly, of course._ Another thing he should’ve known.

“How many in the family know, Ada?” Tommy asked. “How many know about her?”

“Everyone except for Michael and Finn,” She walked around him so they stood face-to-face. “Polly told me during the car ride here, and I assume she told Lizzie well before that.”

“Great,” Tommy murmured, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Everyone knows.”

Ada reached to squeeze his forearm again. “What’s she like?”

“She’s a girl.”

“Tell me one thing,” Ada rolled her eyes. “Humor me.”

“She’s good.”

“Descriptive, as always.” She scoffed. “I’m just saying, Tommy, you can talk to me about it. I’ll understand.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always with you?” Ada shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. “Oh, and by the way, next time she’s out in Birmingham, maybe warn her about the Garrison first. Could save you both a little bit of a headache in the future.”

***

Tommy opened the front door and watched her park on the gravel drive. At first, she did not see him. Things had changed between them, everything felt different. Good or bad? He wasn’t so sure yet. The kiss they shared on the sidewalk, it was a revelation, and he had carried it with him like a cross throughout the following days. Seeing her was a relief, especially from earlier.

As soon as she stepped out of the car, she saw him standing there, surprised almost, and tugged the scally cap lower on her head with a sheepish grin.

“You’re late,” He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking toward her. “I told you two o’clock, it’s almost three.”

Auddie smiled. “I got lost, you’re lucky it’s not midnight. I thought I’d be stuck on these winding roads forever.” She glanced at the dirt road beyond the mouth of the driveway.

“Lucky indeed,” He mused. “I’ll get your bag.”

After dropping off her belongings in the foyer, fucking satchel, and all, Tommy insisted that they ride horses immediately. After the conversation with his family from earlier in the day, he needed some fresh air. He found that little else could fix a bad mood like horses, whiskey, and well, a beautiful woman. He was a simple man, sometimes.

“How was your business this morning?” She asked while hoisting herself onto Belmont Jr. “Or is it _too_ secret for me?”

“Fine as it could ever be.” He nodded with a slight smirk, pulling his own cap low on his brow. “And also secret.”

“Figured as much.” She huffed, wrapping the reins around her knuckles.

Auddie started speaking again while they settled onto their horses.

“Forest, or pasture today?”

“Pasture.” His mind already felt too heavy, being surrounded by trees would make it feel worse.

“Pasture it is.” Auddie grinned.

The sky was overcast, dark enough to threaten the possibility of rain later, but light enough that it would only be a warm, light mid-summer shower. They set off on a steady trot toward the open field, riding over grassy, cresting hills. They rode in silence, mostly, much to Tommy’s relief. There was so much on his mind, too much that he couldn’t share, he wouldn’t be able to force pleasant small talk. No, not today.

Pheasants roamed the meadows far beyond Arrow House, closer to the treeline of the forest. When they galloped too close they would caw and flutter around, which would cause Auddie to giggle and subsequently peek at him for his reaction. He found himself smiling, too.

From time to time, Tommy would glance at her from the corner of his eye. Usually, Auddie wouldn’t notice the staring. He would admire her profile, the small curls that poked from underneath the cap, the small smile on her lips, the dimples that would appear on her cheeks when praising Belmont Jr. The times where she caught him staring, however, she would quickly tilt her head toward him, open her mouth to say something, but would forgo speaking, and instead would simply blush and look away. To his own dismay, it would make his heart feel tight, almost like he was suffocating.

Auddie had learned, or, rather, was learning who he was, and yet, she had come to see him today anyway. A better man would have told Auddie about Lizzie and the baby. A better man would have told her about Grace. Perhaps, an _even_ better man would have told her everything from the beginning. It seemed that one scale was teetering toward guilt today, and the other, infatuation. Despite who he was, despite what truths he did tell her, she was there, and she was real.

“Your family is Romani, right?” Auddie’s sudden question tore him from his thoughts.

Tommy wordlessly nodded in response.

“Can you speak it?”

He nodded again.

“Why don’t you ever speak it around me?”

“Can you understand it?” He turned to her in the saddle and raised an eyebrow.

She blushed, looking away. “Well, no.”

He smirked and nodded once more.

He broke the silence. “I speak it to the horses sometimes.”

“You’ll speak it to the horses, but not me?” Auddie retorted, a lilt to her voice.

“Yes, exactly that.” He replied, still smirking. “It’s different.”

“Hm.” She shook her head. “Will you speak it for me someday?”

“Maybe.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “When you let me look into that satchel, I’ll speak it for you.”

“What’s fair is fair.” She sighed, looking away from him. “I’ll consider it, one day.”

***

They had just come in from the stables and had washed separately. He shaved, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and began changing into a new suit. He stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror while buttoning his shirt and adjusting his suspenders. Dinner was being prepared, and he was almost certain that Auddie was already waiting for him downstairs.

That was until he heard a timid knock at his door.

“I’ll be right there.” He called.

There was silence, for a moment, until he heard a small voice shout, “It’s Auddie, can I come in?”

He stopped mid-button. He made his way to the door and swung it open, to see Auddie standing there, hair still damp, barefoot in her robe. “May I come in?”

He stepped aside and motioned for her to enter. Everything was a whirlwind after that. Before he could say anything, her hands were gripping his suspenders, and they were kissing.

Auddie had to get up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Things changed when their lips touched. He couldn’t help himself, needy and unashamed. He combed his fingers through her hair and gave it a tug.

“Is there time?” She whispered in between kisses, “Dinner will be ready soon,” another kiss, “Your housekeepers will be waiting.”

“That depends,” He said into her ear, undoing the knot of her robe, moving his hands behind her, and feeling the lengths and contours of her back.

“On what?”

“On what you want.” He murmured against her mouth. “What do you want?”

“I don’t want you to make me be patient,” Auddie took a deep breath, “I want you.”

That was all he needed. He picked her up and took her, right there against the wall. It was what she wanted, what they both wanted. She braced herself by snaking her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. When he got tired of this, he carried her over to his bed and laid her down. He wanted her to feel him, deep, everywhere.

“Let me,” he said, softly, brushing his knuckles across her cheek. He wanted to look at her, really look at her. Wanted to make sure she was real. “We still have time.”

It was fast and good, frenzied and reckless, for both of them. He needed this. The meeting with his family plagued his mind. He just needed to lose himself, forget, and he used her for that. Control was slipping away from him, spiraling into oblivion.

Should he be doing this? Fucking her like one of his nameless working girls at the Midland? Did he even fucking care anymore? Especially when she whispered his name over and over, breathless and flushed underneath him. 

Her words, her voice, were like a prayer, or a curse- he wasn’t exactly sure which was which anymore.

And when finally it was done, there was a familiar calm, comfort. His entire body went tense, he laid his open palm on the base of her throat and fluttered his eyes shut. He was definitely in oblivion now. Everything turned low, the light of the room, the sounds she made. Her fingers intertwined with his as they lie entangled in the bedsheets.

She rolled on top of him, her hair framing her face and falling over her shoulders. She couldn’t hide the grin in her voice. “Dinner, Tommy.”

“It can wait.”


End file.
